


Building the Future

by CynthiaK2014



Series: Lord of the Rings [3]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 22:19:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 46,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3995086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CynthiaK2014/pseuds/CynthiaK2014
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A whole lot of building and loving is going on.  Where is Gandolf?  And what about this dwarf healer?  The babies begin to grow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Building the Future

Gimli  
************* 

I finished setting in the last brick for Merry and Pip’s living room fireplace flue. Within the week, I firmly expected to finish off their home. But I checked the sun’s position and decided to call it a day, cleaning up and putting my tools away. Balik and Reason had finished caulking the tub and its surrounds so the bathroom was finished. Tomorrow they’d finish the kitchen while Cincall installed the last of the bookshelves there.

All in all, I was satisfied with our work. The Hobbits had worked harder than any of us and I followed a pair of voices to the room that Merry had chosen as his workroom. We’d laid in tiles for the floor since they’d be easy to clean. Once he’d fitted it out with a worktable and shelves for all his tools, he’d begun to work on the furniture they would need to fill the other rooms. 

Pip sat on the workbench and chattered away about dinner while Merry fitted a complex inlay of dark cherry into a lighter shade of oak door. The clothes cupboard would be a work of art by the time he was through.

“I’m done with the chimney, Merry. There had better be a lot of dinner, Pip. I’m starving.” I teased him with a growl and he threw me an impudent look.

“There’s enough for a dozen hungry Dwarves.” He told me with a twinkle. “And dessert’s a surprise. Hey, Gimli, what are you doing for your anniversary tomorrow?”

“Anniversary?” For a moment I had no idea what he was talking about.

“Oh-oh, looks like somebody forgot the day that Aragorn got crowned.” Pip shook his head in mock sorrow while the memory hit me like an ax. “Sam is taking Frodo on a picnic while we keep the babies.”

Durin’s Beard, it was May Day. I stood stock-still and thought about that day. The night that our children were conceived and our lives had changed forever.

“Don’t worry, Gimli. You still have time to think of something.” Merry said cheerfully.

“I don’t know about that, Merry. I’m very bad at remembering such dates.” I sighed and ran through a list of gifts that might be good enough for my love. Nothing came to mind for my beautiful bonded. “I think it’s time I checked in with my father. Maybe he’ll be able to think of something. Thank you for reminding me.”

“It’s our pleasure, Gimli. If we can help in any way, let us know tonight.” Merry finished gluing in the last piece of cherry in the intricate lover’s knot pattern that adorned the left-hand door. The right-hand was finished and propped against the paneled wall.

I said my farewells and left their partially completed home for the walk back to my own. Legolas had gone back to work in the library with Frodo. My father had had to make another extra-wide cradle so that both sets of twins could sleep in between nursing and pooping. That was all they seemed to do except for a few moments every day when they looked right at us and seemed to know who we were.

All four of the babies would snuggle close together and sleep for an hour at a time before waking up and demanding to be fed. Poor Clothile was at his wit’s end at the clutter they brought into his pristine domain. But Lorrin had taken to dropping by and explaining what some of the scrolls were about before they had to start translating. That seemed to reconcile the archivist to the taking over of his library.

Walking slowly, I thought of the last year with almost disbelief. Where had the time gone? It seemed like yesterday that we were fighting a war that we almost lost and here it had been over a year since we’d admitted our love to each other. Detouring to the snug home that my father had finished and moved into before the worst of winter hit, I knocked on the front door and listened for his ‘come in’.

I found him sitting by the fire with a cup of tea in one hand and some of my favorite crumble cake in the other. He laughed at my needy look and pointed to the chair across from him. I poured a cup from the teapot on the hearth and almost inhaled the piece of cake that he’d baked. Explaining my dilemma, I waited for him to come up with some ideas.

“Hm-m, that’s a tough one, son. I know what a Dwarf maiden would like but Legolas is not at all maiden-ish.” His dark eyes so like my own twinkled a little. “Perhaps you should just ask him what he’d like?”

I sighed. “I know I can do that but he deserves something more than just a bouquet of flowers, which is the first thing I thought of.”

He chuckled. “Roses are good, son. A good start, that is. How about I give you two uninterrupted hours tomorrow evening? Lorrin and I could take the twins so you can have some time together. Alone.”

“Thank you, Papa.” I said gratefully. “Sam is taking Frodo for a picnic while Merry and Pip watch their little ones. Legolas loves the forest so much, maybe I could take him somewhere that he’d enjoy outdoors.”

A triple tap on the door and Lorrin entered before my father could even call out. “Gloin, Gimli.”

“Lorrin, do you know of a place that Legolas would particularly enjoy in the forest that he hasn’t found yet?” I sat up and eagerly asked the ancient Elf.

“Perhaps there is a spot not so near as some or as far as others.” He shrugged fluidly and dropped down to the hearth to sit cross-legged. “There is a hot springs near the smaller Shanon river. A small grove of beech trees surrounds it and I think my Prince would enjoy it. I would be glad to take some supplies there so you and he could take a walk and have a private picnic.”

“Yes, that would be perfect. Will we need to ride there or is it really close enough to walk there? Why didn’t we know of it before?” I thought we’d explored all the land near the settlement.

“It is hidden and quite small. No bigger than your bath although the water is heavily mineralized and very warm. While the Prince was pregnant it wouldn’t have been safe, but now he would take no harm. Actually, it might even help the last stages of his healing.” Lorrin said quietly and I flinched a little.

Legolas still had some occasional pain and although he tried to hide it, I almost always could feel his ache. There were times when I wondered just how close we were growing that we so often reacted to something that happened to the other. But that thought was pushed to the back of my mind for later. Now was for planning a surprise dinner in a romantic spot for my bonded.

Papa took over the task of getting our dinner ready while Lorrin promised to take me to the springs the next day so I’d be able to find it. I left for home with a lighter heart although I took a quick detour to pick some of the blue bells that grew near Jallico’s home. They were one of Legolas’ favorites and I picked a small bouquet of the sweetly scented flowers he enjoyed.

The sound of humming led me to our bedroom when I got home. Legolas was just tucking Pharin in beside her brother and I joined him in time to brush a kiss across their cheeks. Handing the flowers to Legolas, I watched him smile and take a deep breath of their fragrance. They were the same blue as his eyes but I thought not half as beautiful.

“Thank you, beloved. I’ll put them here near our bed so we can enjoy them and the children can, too.” He dropped a kiss on the top of my head before going to the kitchen to get a vase.

I stayed where I was, watching our children sleep. At 32 days old they were all ready showing their different personalities. Pharin was quiet and reacted badly to loud noises. Glimmer liked to touch everything around him. She had Legolas’ sight and I often had to look much farther away to find what was fascinating her. He had surprising strength in both hands, squeezing hard around a finger or a lock of hair.

But for all their differences, it was quite evident that they were our children. They loved to listen to Legolas sing to them. When they heard my voice, they’d get really agitated and start waving their arms around. I’d have to pick them up so they could snuggle against me. Maybe it was because we were new parents and they still seemed like miracles to us, but they liked being held more than anything else.

Rhea said that they’d grow out of it but I was secretly enjoying it so I just kept on picking them up and holding them close. Babies have a scent all their own and it didn’t matter if they were Dwarf, Elf or Hobbit. Legolas came back in and interrupted my musings. The flowers were arranged just so and he put them on the table between the bed and the cradle.

He was moving easier now and his graceful movements were almost back to pre-pregnancy days. I had expected him to fret over his slow healing but instead he’d shown that vaunted Elvish patience that seemed so much a part of his race. He rested when he should, took naps with the babies, ate the iron enriched foods that Lorrin had prescribed for him and still had time to take care of me.

Legolas Greenleaf was a constant revelation to me and yet still a mystery that I wanted to solve. And somehow I knew that he always would be. 

********* 

I was excited and nervous all at the same time. Papa and Lorrin had showed up at dinner time and that’s when I told Legolas that we were celebrating May Day with a special treat. His eyes lit up and he kissed me sweetly before taking my hand and letting me lead him towards the mountains. We passed through the gardens, crossed the Lesta and headed into the heavily wooded foothills in the opposite direction of White Cap. 

Lorrin had shown me the way earlier and we’d both carried everything that I thought we’d need for this anniversary tryst. There was still a nip to the air even though daylight grew longer each day. So we’d taken a warm blanket and towels to dry ourselves after we soaked in the mineral springs. The water bubbled a little and when I dipped my hand in it, it felt tingly like little zaps of lightning hitting my skin.

He was going to love it. Jallico had produced two different dinners meant for leisurely eating with fingers instead of forks. All of Sam and Frodo’s favorites went into their picnic basket while the cook and my father collaborated on our basket. Lorrin had contributed a bottle of wine that he promised would not get anyone pregnant. He and Rhea were adamant that Legolas wait at least a year before even thinking of having any more children.

I thought maybe three years would be too soon.

“Gimli, are you ever going to tell me where we’re going?” His teasing voice brought me out of my thoughts.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about how impossible it seems that it’s been a year since you got pregnant.” I kissed the hand I was holding and he chuckled.

“It does seem as if the last year flew by on eagle’s wings, beloved. I wondered if you’d want to celebrate this momentous day.” His nostrils flared and he turned his head as if to catch a distant sound. “It sounds and smells like hot springs ahead.”

“Close your eyes, my love.” I waited until he’d closed them then led him through the thicket of sweet smelling lilacs to the grotto where I’d set up our dinner. “Surprise!”

He gazed about the dense grove of slender beech trees that stopped about six feet from the small pool of steaming water. Our blanket was spread over a soft carpet of grass and held the basket of food, towels and our robes in case we didn’t want to get dressed right away. The temperature was much warmer than the outer forest but I knew we’d get chilled after leaving the bubbling water.

“It’s beautiful, Gimli. Lorrin must have shown it to you.” He went down to one knee and hugged me close. “I do adore you, my thoughtful love.”

“I love you too, my Legolas. But I can’t take all the credit. Merry and Pip reminded me of the date, my father offered the babysitting and Lorrin showed me the way here.” 

He chuckled and took a deep breath of lilac scented air. “I now know how truly I am loved, Gimli. All of you are such a blessing to me.”

“No more so than you are to us, my love. You and Frodo are the heart of this place.” I’d thought about this a dozen times over the last year. “Frodo, because he understands failure and yet keeps going with his head held high. You, because you cherish each soul here, including the very trees and flowers that grow around us.”

“More than just I do that, Gimli.” He blushed a little and I leaned in to kiss him.

We always tasted good together but right now his sweet taste overwhelmed my senses. His silky hair caressed my hands where I held the long elegant throat. His skin felt warm and smooth beneath my questing lips. His clean scent was faintly overlaid with the talc that we used on our babies’ bottoms but then we both smelled of that. I smiled into his lips and he matched it before pulling away to gaze at me.

“I’m thinking that we should soak for a bit in the hot springs then eat our dinner.” I told him and he agreed.

Undressing took more time than it rightly should but without the babies nearby hurrying us along, we could afford to savor each piece of skin unveiled. His lips ghosted over my skin and left tingles in their wake while he shivered slightly when I gently licked his sensitive nipples. Eventually though we slid into the pool and were greeted with an explosion of bubbles.

“Goodness!” Legolas exclaimed before beginning to laugh out loud. “This is wonderful, Gimli. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“Me, either.” I moved my arms experimentally and each movement brought a fresh onslaught of tingles. I chuckled. “We must share this with the others, my love. Although we need a bench for those of us shorter than tall Elves.”

He went to his knees so we were face to face about six inches above the water. “Papa will think of something since wood would eventually dissolve in this water. Perhaps a granite bench here at the back like the tub in Minas Tirith. The two of us fill it quite well but once Glimmer and Pharin get bigger, I think they would like it, too.”

I pulled him closer to me so the bubbles tingled from his skin to mine and back again. Kissing those wet lips, I slowly slid my hands over his body and took special care of the thin white line that was all that was left of the birth. He sighed into my mouth and began to copy the caresses onto my body. I will never get enough of him, not if I live to a thousand.

The heat built between us until it felt like we were boiling. He gasped or maybe it was me but with one accord, we broke apart and levered ourselves out of the pool. The towels took care of the drips but the blanket finished the drying job when we rolled back and forth in a mock battle for dominance. He finished above me, his long blond hair flowing like silk over my heated skin.

We kissed slowly, savoring each languid caress of tongue to tongue. My hands stroked his back, massaging the long lean muscles that rippled beneath his silky smooth skin. Breast to breast, he moaned just a little when my chest hair teased his nipples to hard peaks. 

“Gimli, dear heart, we should eat our dinner or make love. We don’t have time for both. My breasts are beginning to ache.” He said apologetically with a rueful look.

“They’ll be hungry within the hour.” I said with a sigh. “You decide.”

His smile grew slowly and he went nose to nose with me. “Make love to me, my virile Dwarf. We can eat after they go to sleep. Remind me of the day a year ago when we made wild . . .” he kissed me, “beautiful . . .” another kiss, “love.”

I rolled him beneath me and reached for the oil that I’d packed in with our dinner. He spread his legs for me and stretched beneath my gaze with a sultry look that hardened me to stone. I stretched him carefully, looking for any sign of pain after our long abstinence. But he just smiled up at me and began to run his fingers over my shoulders, combing through my long hair.

“Black silk,” he said idly, “your hair is so beautiful. Have you noticed Glimmer’s hair is just as soft as yours? Oh, love, in me . . . now.”

I nodded and replaced my fingers with my cock, sliding into a channel hotter than the springs beside us. We both moaned at the connection remade and I slid in until I could go no further. He pulsed around me like a living sheath and I felt our hearts beat together.

“Beloved Legolas,” I sighed his name and those blue eyes opened to gaze into mine.

“Beloved Gimli,” he cupped my face with those long fingers of his. “Make love to me on this our one year anniversary. May we be just as happy a hundred years from now.”

“We will be.” I vowed and began the slow retreat out of him only to thrust back in. Our rhythm was back as if it had never been away and we soon found the perfect in and out motion. The flush returned to his skin and I could see small drops of liquid appear on his nipples.

Temptation was too much and I leaned in to gently tongue the milk from them. He shivered all over and came between us at the first touch of my lips. That took me by surprise and I flooded him with my seed, shamefully quick to spend myself within his depths. 

“Oh, love, how very erotic it is for you to nurse from my breast.” He blushed. “I did not know they were so sensitive still.”

“Perhaps once they’ve nursed, there might still be some for their father?” I teased him just a little, licking my lips at the sweetness of his milk.

“There will always be some for their father.” He pulled me down for another kiss. “However, we need to get back before they send out search parties for us.”

I nodded and gently pulled from him. We dressed and repacked the second picnic basket with our supplies. Leaving the small enchanted glade, we promised each other we would come again but next time with the babies so we could spend more time playing. I was already planning the bench for the pool and wondering if there was a way to leave some supplies there so we didn’t have to carry the blankets and towels back and forth.

This anniversary had been a success and I was already looking ahead to our next one.


	2. Chapter 2

Merry  
************ 

We finished dinner with the others and said our goodnights quietly. Holding Pip’s hand, I could hardly keep my feet from dashing home, because home was now a totally different place. Home was where we were headed and we’d help build it with our own two hands. I wanted to laugh and cry all at the same time.

“Oh, Merry, I can hardly believe it.” Pip gripped my hand hard. “It’s done, really . . . really done.”

“Once we close the door behind us, we’ll be really alone for the first time in our lives.” I’d been thinking about this and that’s what had come to me. “We’ve been in our parents homes, friends homes, enemy camps and who knows where else. But we’ve never been in a place of our own. And tonight and every night hereafter, we’ll be in our own home. Just the two of us.”

“And in five months, our son or daughter will join us.” Pip said dreamily and leaned against me.

I let go of his hand and put my arm around him instead. “Yes, they will, my darling Pip. How do you want to celebrate tonight?”

He chuckled and rested his head on my shoulder. “I want to close the door behind us, start taking off our clothes in the living room, make sure the fire is lit in our bedroom, then go to the bathroom and take our first bath in our new tub.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.” I hugged him close and fell silent while we turned the corner and finally began to walk up the pretty flagstone path to our very own front door. It was painted a deep blue with a bright shiny knob right in the middle. Sam had woven a rough foot scraper rug that we could wipe our feet on before we stepped inside.

The round windows on either side were clean and bright, the setting sun reflected in the shiny glass panels. Tilly had woven some beautiful blue curtains for them and they were looped back to show the hanging baskets of bright blue and yellow flowers that Sam and Frodo had planted for us. We paused for a long moment just enjoying how well it nestled into the hill. A white plume of smoke rose from the chimney that Gimli had built and I sighed with satisfaction at how beautiful it looked.

Overhead came a short chirp and we watched a bluebird fly from the oak tree that stood near the front of our home to land on the little roof which kept the rain off our front door. He tilted his head at us and then settled in to sing his welcoming notes over and over again. It felt like he was blessing our first real entrance into our brand new home. I pulled Pip close and hugged him tightly.

“I think he’s named it for us, Merry.” He said dreamily. “Since our favorite color is blue, how about we call it Bluebird Cottage?”

Smiling, I kissed his cheek and watched the bird fly away. “Bluebird Cottage it is, my sweet Pip. Perhaps he’s nesting nearby and we’ll see him and the missus flying every day until their eggs hatch.”

He turned his head and reached up to kiss me. He tasted of dinner and cake and something that was just Pip. I never wanted to stop tasting him for as long as we lived. If I was very lucky, this would last a hundred years or more. But we had to breathe eventually and I opened our door, letting him go in first. Once we were both inside, I shut and locked it behind us.

The fire flickered on the hearth, we’d left one burning all day to help drive out the damp. I hung up my cloak next to Pip’s and watched him wander into the front room. Looking around me, I sighed in satisfaction. It really was perfect in every way. The rug on the oak floorboards glowed blue with a fanciful golden design that was like a maze. Lorrin had given it to us and we’d fallen in love with it the moment we saw it.

The ancient Elf seemed to enjoy being part of our community after his years alone. And he seemed to know where anything could be found, anything at all. It was uncanny how he’d find just the very thing that we were looking for almost before we could ask for it. The comfortable settee was sized for big people but the wing chairs that I’d made during the winter were built for Hobbits and stood across from each other on both sides of the marble fireplace that Gloin had carved with vines and birds.

At the moment, we tended to sit together in one or the other but one of these days I knew that we’d separate to have our own chair. But not just yet, I smiled at Pip who was smiling back at me. “I love you, Pip.”

“I love you too, Merry. Let’s have a hot bath and an early night.” He held out his hand and I made haste to join him, taking one last appreciative glance around our front room. We took a moment to put up the fire screen in case the fire popped out some sparks then made our way down the hall to our brand new bathroom.

It was almost identical to Frodo and Sam’s. I couldn’t argue with perfection but the drying cupboard was really handy and our friends were ready to fit one in themselves. We slowly undressed while the tub filled with hot water but not too hot now that Pip was pregnant. His stomach was beginning to curve out a little at four months along. I loved seeing those changes in him and I finally understood why Sam was always stroking Frodo’s stomach. It was as if I had to touch him to make it all real.

One of these days, our child would move under my fingers and I could hardly wait. But for now I needed to soap my hands and lovingly wash every square inch of his beautiful skin. He all but purred when I stroked him from head to toe turning until all of him was squeaky clean. Then it was my turn and he ran his hands over my skin until I was hard and aching for him.

He just smiled and laid himself against the sloping back, trusting me to keep him above water. I licked his nipples over and over until he was groaning beautifully while my fingers stretched his sweet hole. I was hard as a rock by the time I slid inside his heat and we both moaned at that lovely moment.

“My Merry,” he sighed and smiled at me.

“My very own Pip,” I was all the way in and he pulsed around me in time with his heartbeat. “I will love you forever and ever, sweet Pip.”

“Oh, Merry,” he burst into tears at the same moment I began to thrust inside him. 

But Frodo’s mood swings had already prepared me for Pip’s so I just smiled and changed to the gentle rocking that fit our mood right then. He soon was down to sniffles and I kissed him gently until he smiled for me. His nipples were changing just a little and I found that sucking them made both of us hotter than hot. He was moaning pretty continuously when I finally gripped his cock in one of my hands and he fountained out of the water like an upside down waterfall between us.

His muscles pulled my seed from me safe within his depths and part of me wondered if the baby could feel it while most of me relaxed completely. I slid to my knees while his legs tightened around my waist. His hands held me safe while I panted into his throat. I almost felt weak but after a few moments, I sighed and felt strength return to my legs.

“Well, we’ve christened the bathroom very nicely.” His fingers brushed through my hair. “Let’s do the kitchen next.”

I had to laugh at his ingenuous tone. “Let’s baptize that room later. Right now, how about we get out of the tub, dry off and christen our comfortable bed? It’s your turn to make me tremble.”

Pip chuckled and agreed. We played with the soap some more before getting out and drying off. Wrapping our robes around us, we walked hand in hand into our bedroom. This one was really and only ours. It was warm and quiet and ready for us to make love in the comfy feather bed with the flannel sheets. The day seemed to catch up to both of us all at once and we had to hold each other up long enough to crawl into bed. We were asleep almost before I could blow out the candle.

**************   
Gloin  
************** 

I washed up and contemplated a hot bath before checking in with my sons, not to mention my grandchildren. I smiled at that wondrous thought for about the hundredth time. Every time I held Glimmer or Pharin, I wished my sweet Alanna was here to see them. How she would have loved them. Sometimes I thought I caught a glimpse of her in Glimmer’s eyes.

Missing her was an ache to which I’d grown accustomed. We’d had a long and happy life together, Gimli the crowning joy of our hearts. I’d been blessed with more than my share of happiness and it looked like my son was on his way to even greater bliss. I’d grown used to the shock of seeing him cuddle the beautiful Elf with whom he’d bonded. But it was still a bit of a shock to hear the tenor voice call me Papa.

Legolas wasn’t at all what I’d been expecting but he made Gimli happy and that would have been enough for me even without the gift of children he’d given us. I still shivered a bit when I thought of what might have happened if his vision hadn’t sent us to the healer in time. The sound of my name being called broke into my thoughts and I finished drying my face before going back out to the front room. Lorrin waited for me by the fire and I smiled at the elder Elf.

“What news, Lorrin?” I asked him the same question that I always asked when I’d been in the mountain for the day. 

“We have visitors.” He said then shook his head. “That’s not quite right, it appears we have new settlers. You need to go to our Prince’s home. I am in hopes these Elves are here with good intentions but that is not yet clear.”

I’d started in alarm when he mentioned Elves. “Are they from Rivendell?”

“No,” he said with a solemn nod, “Mirkwood.”

My heart clenched. If that bastard had dared to try to harm Legolas, I was going to gather some allies and make sure he never tried again. “Thank you, I’ll go now.”

He nodded and rose to walk with me. We quickly trod the path between our homes and entered through the back door. The voices from the front room didn’t sound angry but that wasn’t always a good indication of trouble. I paused in the doorway and spent a moment just cataloging the people there.

A small female Elf held Pharin in her arms with the practiced air of someone who’d held a baby before. The male behind her had a military air about him and I noticed he wore at least three weapons and those were just the ones I could see. I had the feeling that there were more that I couldn’t see. Gimli sat beside Legolas with Glimmer in his arms but his expression told me that he was taking a wait and see attitude.

“Papa!” Legolas saw us and rose to greet me with a fond kiss. “I want to introduce you to some old friends of mine.”

I followed him further into the room, not surprised that Lorrin had faded away before he could be seen. But I was too busy assessing the male who was busy assessing me.

“Nana, this is Gimli’s father, Gloin. Papa, this is Nanala, my nurse when I was little.” 

I bowed to her and received a wide-eyed glance that told me she was just as unsure of me as I was of her. “It’s a pleasure to meet the one who kept our Legolas safe and happy when he was young.”

She blinked and looked a bit confused. “I . . . it’s nice to meet you, Gloin.”

“And this is Pfister, the one who taught me how to draw a bow and shoot an arrow.” He introduced the dark Elf behind her and we gravely shook hands. My grip was perhaps a trifle firmer than it would ordinarily be but it met an equal strength. His calluses told me that he was a hard worker and I approved of that.

“Pleasure,” was all he said but I was distracted by Pharin’s demanding coo.

“Hello, little one.” I brushed her cheek and she raised her arms to me. Nana looked a little taken aback but reluctantly let her come into my arms. I tickled her a little just to hear her sweet giggle. “How’s my big girl?” 

“She tried to roll over today, Papa.” Gimli informed me with a proud voice.

“Goodness, you’re going to be a terror once you start to crawl, aren’t you, Pharin?” I told her solemnly but she just laughed at me and pulled my hair. Her grip is just as strong as Glimmer’s when she tugs like that. “Ow, little love, just you wait until your hair gets a little longer.”

Legolas chuckled and dropped a kiss on my hair. “Sorry, Papa, she seems to think that hair is for pulling.”

“You were the same, Legolas.” His old nurse said fondly. “You’d latch onto your mother’s golden curls and immediately put them in your mouth.”

“Hah!” Gimli said triumphantly. “I knew they got that from you, love.”

Legolas stuck out his tongue at him before sitting back down at his side. I sat down in the rocker and began to stroke Pharin’s tummy. She loved that, waving her arms and singing to herself and us. She had Legolas’ voice, thankfully, since neither of us could sing a note. Then again, Alanna often sang Gimli to sleep so perhaps my granddaughter got her voice from both sides of her family.

Looking up, I caught everyone trying not to look too long at anyone else. That wasn’t going to get us anywhere so I spoke up. “Are you visiting, Pfister and Nanala? Or are you here to stay?”

Gimli’s look of thanks was heartfelt and even Legolas looked relieved. For the first time, I saw determination cross the nurse’s face.

“We are here to stay, my Prince. At first, your father simply said that you were staying in Gondor and would not be returning.” She spoke up and Pfister laid a hand on her shoulder. “I questioned every returning Elf within an inch of their lives and finally got a straight answer out of one of them.” She looked angry and sad at the same time. “The King had exiled you because you fell in love. I was surprised that you’d chosen one of another race but I started laying my plans right then.”

Pfister spoke next. “Nanala told me that she was going to find you with or without me so I began to also question those who came through the forest. Traders mostly and once we heard of a new community in the Vestella Forest, we knew where you probably were. Once the winter snows receded far enough from the mountain passes, we packed up and left.”

Legolas’ eyes shimmered with unshed tears and Gimli hugged him close. Putting Glimmer in his bonded’s arms, he effectively distracted him from his sorrow. So, I asked the next question. “And now that you know of the children, does that change your plans?”

“No,” she said simply. “It strengthens my resolve to stay. I’ve waited years to hold Legolas’ children in my arms. I hope to be allowed to help take care of them.”

“And I will earn my keep with whatever jobs need to be done.” The weapon’s master said calmly, his gray eyes meeting each of ours. “I expect that I have a few skills that might come in handy.”

“Good, we need more workers. You’ll have to stay with me until we can build something for you to live in.” I said. “Will you need one bedroom or two?”

The nurse blushed to the tips of her ears. “Pfister and I were married at the Yule.”

Legolas brightened immediately. “Wonderful! I always hoped that you two would finally come together. Let’s get your things moved into Papa’s home. Then it will be time for dinner. Why don’t we go to eat and we’ll show you more of our settlement?”

“Some of the things are for you, Legolas.” Nanala said with a sigh. “Pfister and I packed away your clothes, books and treasures before they could be thrown away.”

I grimaced and kept my temper with some effort. Legolas merely nodded and kept on talking genially. I sighed silently to myself. He was going to need major cuddling tonight and I would be sure that I sat him down for some after the babies were in bed. Thranduil was such an idiot that I wished I could have him alone for a half an hour. I’d tell him a thing or two about his brave son. 

We were in for interesting times. Although with Nanala here to help with the babies, maybe I’d get Gimli to work in the mountain instead of so close to home. Legolas might even be able to get more than two pages translated at a time if he didn’t have to constantly check on the babies. And Pfister looked like a worker who could help build his own home. Pharin tugged harder and I went back to patting her stomach.

As long as Nana didn’t try to keep either of these two sprites from me, she’d be an excellent addition to our growing family. And from the smell coming from Pharin’s diaper, now would be a wonderful time for her to get to work.


	3. Chapter 3

Gimli  
************** 

I finished fitting the fireplace surround into the wall and checked to make sure it was level. Papa was on the other side doing the same thing and eventually we both stepped back to smile at one another. The last bit of our work was done and now Pfister and Nanala could move out of my father’s house and into their own. He looked pretty happy about that and I couldn’t help speculating on why.

“So, Papa, what will you do first once they move out?” I sent him an expectant smile.

“Take a hot bath and wander through the house naked.” He said with a satisfied grin.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the unexpected answer. “No, really, what will you do?”

“Exactly what I said, son. I plan to spend at least a day cooling off without fear that I’m going to shock somebody. You might want to think about that yourself. I expect Legolas might welcome a day of fun after all his hard work finishing the translating of the last of the scrolls from the first jar. And your bonding anniversary is coming up in three days.” He reminded me with a smile and a wink.

“I know, I know. After May Day, I made a mental note to never again forget any of our important days. But I don’t know what he wants to do and the hot springs are too hot in this heat.” I was racking my brains to come up with something that would show my dearest love how much I loved him.

Papa crossed to shake me and pull my beard. “Ask him, Gimli! Don’t try to be subtle. That never works with you and you know it. Just ask him how he’d like to spend the day.”

I grinned sheepishly and nodded. He spoke true. “All right, I’ll ask.”

“Good. Now, let’s go give them the good news and help them move.” He headed for the front door at a fast clip and I hurried to catch up with him.

The last month had seen the family dynamics change quite a bit. For a week or more, Legolas had been quiet and rather sad. Unpacking the two trunks that were filled with the things from his life before had been hard on him and I’d tried to stay close to give my support. He shared little stories about some of the items and I looked appreciatively at his treasures.

The woven wall hanging of a mallorn tree had made him cry when he unrolled it. I held him close and rocked him the way I did our children. He sniffed a little and told me that his mother had woven it for his fifth birthday so he’d always have one of his favorite trees near him to keep him safe. Once he calmed, I let him go and went to pound a couple of nails into the wall opposite our bed. He hung it up without a word and kissed me sweetly while we sat on the foot of the bed and looked at the shimmering gold and silver design.

Not all of the items made him cry, indeed, several of them made him shout with laughter. The one that I treasured the most was the small bow and quiver that Pfister had made for him when he was small. It was so tiny compared to the bow he drew today that it looked like a toy. But the arrows were as sharp and deadly as his big ones were now and I smiled at the thought of the small Elf that he had been.

We hung them high on the wall over the bed in the nursery and occasionally, I’d see Pharin’s eyes focused on them. I looked forward to watching Legolas teach our children how to shoot. It would be a while since they’d just mastered rolling over and were still faintly surprised sometimes to find themselves on their stomachs instead of their backs. Just thinking of them made me want to hurry to the archives and pick them up.

But our front door was open and I could hear Legolas singing from within so Papa and I detoured inside out of the early July heat. My beautiful Elf was stripped to his short pants, nursing Pharin while Glimmer lay on his lap and they rocked in the rocking chair. There wasn’t a nursemaid in sight and I smiled at the beautiful picture they made. But I must have made some sound because he looked up and smiled.

Crossing the room, I kissed him softly and stilled the lullaby for a moment. He tasted of peaches so I knew that another trading party had made it in to Friendly. Ending the kiss, I chuckled at Pharin’s open-eyed stare. “Hello, sweetheart, is your lunch good?”

She let go of the nipple for a moment to smile at me then went back to sucking in her noon milk. But Glimmer wanted more than a smile and I lifted him into my arms for his own kiss. He giggled at the tickle of my beard and I nuzzled into his neck while he laughed and laughed. He was the happiest baby I’d ever known but then I’d known so few babies that I didn’t know if he was normal or not.

I didn’t say that out loud though since Legolas and my father thought them perfect in every way. My thoughts were scattered when Glimmer was plucked from my arms by his grandfather. I smiled while I looked about me. I was truly blessed with riches.

“Legolas, what would you like to do for our bonding anniversary?”

Those sparkling blue eyes smiled into mine. “Frodo and I want to take a full day’s trip to the bend in the Shanon. Sam says there’s a small pool there with willow trees overlooking it where we can have a picnic, a swim and just enjoy the beautiful day. Jallico said he’d fix us a feast to take with us. You must come too, Papa.”

Gloin chuckled. “I’d love to help you celebrate. A picnic in July sounds perfect, doesn’t it Glimmer?”

Our son squealed at being tickled and Pharin joined in from Legolas’ shoulder where he was burping her. The picnic party soon expanded to include the entire settlement and we found ourselves spectators to our own anniversary. But the holiday mood was catching and everyone looked forward to an entire day of eating, swimming and telling tales. Pip and Jallico spent all their time concocting enough food to satisfy all appetites even though the Hobbit was just then getting over the nausea of his fifth month.

Merry said that he’d taken to drinking raspberry tea every time he sat down. Legolas consoled him with the thought that it would be over before the snow flew. Pip had grown quickly and had begun to show several weeks before. Merry doted on him as did we all and he stayed cheerful through the changes in his body, turning some of his experiences into funny tales. They’d written to their families inviting them to come and visit but so far had heard nothing.

The morning of our anniversary dawned bright and clear. We’d already made several trips to the bend in the Shanon with supplies but we had still more last minute items to take with us to make the day more pleasant. Legolas made sure that we left a written message on the door of the dining hall to let any surprise visitors know where we all were. Once we began walking, Friendly emptied completely.

We had 64 settlers now and I expected more before summer was over. I was a little worried about Gandalf for he had been missing for three months and Legolas had agreed that Elrond needed to be alerted. The last traders through had been a family of gypsies who’d brought word of mysterious lights in the skies and rumors of people disappearing from town and countryside alike. 

That bothered Legolas and me but with only rumors to go on we decided to just watch and send word to Aragorn, Elrond and Celeborn. Legolas had expected word by now of Arwen and Aragorn’s child and I know that he was worried that no news might mean bad news. For once, I was the optimistic one and I reassured him that if he could birth twins safely then Arwen could, too. 

We ambled along, taking our time and exclaiming over each new sight. We’d discovered a peat bog, which we had to skirt but within were several rare herbs that Rheanas and Lorrin were almost ready to harvest. They looked like little brown mud flowers to me but Rhea spoke of them with a gleam in his eye and a hushed voice. I think he was already planning who might benefit from their potent properties back in Rivendell and Lothlorien.

I glanced down at Pharin to find her looking wide-eyed about her from her perch in the sling over my chest. One little hand clutched a lock of my hair and occasionally she’d chew on it before going back to her staring at the leafy canopy overhead. She was definitely Legolas’ daughter with an affinity for all things green. Glimmer was a Dwarf in most ways with a liking for earth and mud.

Papa was betting that he learned to crawl first and I wasn’t going to be the one to bet against him. I looked around for my father and spotted him walking with Balik and Cincall. They were probably talking about the next building project, a guesthouse that would include enough rooms to house a sizable party. We were looking ahead to the time when Elrond or Aragorn or even the Lady Galadriel might come visiting and need better accommodation than somebody’s guestroom.

Looking around again, I saw no sign of the elder Elf, Lorrin. I’d grown accustomed to him dropping in when he felt like conversation or when we wondered aloud how he was. A large group like this was probably too noisy for him, I decided and went back to watching my beautiful bonded glow in the morning sun. The light bounced on the river and shattered into thousands of prisms, sparkling like diamonds.

But they were as nothing compared to the glowing mane of my love. I’d braided it back from his face and it flowed down his back like a waterfall of golden silk. Pharin’s murmur brought my gaze down into her wide-eyed look. She was chewing on my hair again and patting my tan cotton shirt with one little hand. That usually meant that she was getting hungry and I walked a little faster to draw even with Legolas and Frodo.

Sparkling blue eyes met mine with a smile. “Dinner time, my love?”

“Soon. How is Glimmer doing?” I peeked up and saw his head discretely positioned over one plump nipple. The heavy white gauze of Legolas’ shirt kept anyone from seeing that he was nursing our son. We tried to keep our differences from being too blatant among our neighbors.

Frodo was nursing Elanor while Sam walked next to him with little Bilbo in his own sling. I marveled at how domestic we were four males all carrying babies. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I sighed happily and walked a little faster at the sight of the river widening before us. That meant the sheltered cove was coming up and we’d soon be eating some of the delectable feast that our cooks had been slaving over for the last two days. 

It should have been chaos with 64 different people all trying to get comfortable and fed at the same time. But it wasn’t. We’d all grown accustomed to working together and today was no different. Merry and the furniture makers had built several sturdy tables for outdoors with some benches for those who didn’t want to sit on the ground. Jallico and Pip set up each one with different kinds of food.

Sam and I spread our blankets under one of the willow trees so the babies would be in the shade instead of the direct sunlight. Then while Legolas and Frodo arranged them between the pillows we’d brought with us, Sam and I went to get our first course. Pip had made a cabbage and carrot salad with tart vinaigrette dressing and I hastily got some before it was gone.

Little moans and exclamations about how good everything was broke the low hum of conversation. Legolas ate one of Nanala’s cheddar and garlic biscuits with a happy smile and even shared a bite with me while Pharin suckled at his breast. Glimmer lay on his back and watched the long sinuous branches of the willow dance above him. He waved his arms in time with their movement while Elanor copied his hands with little waves of her own. Frodo was nursing Bilbo and letting Sam feed him some salad.

I looked about us with a contented sigh. Pfister and Nanala were sharing a blanket with my father and Balik. Clothile sat on one of the benches under another willow tree. I realized with a start that Lorrin sat beside him. When had the elder Elf appeared? Smiling, I took note that Salurr, Weaver Matso’s eldest daughter, was sharing a blanket with Cincall while her mother watched them from one blanket over. Perhaps there would be a marriage in our near future?

Legolas chuckled and nipped my ear. “They’ve been courting for three moons now, my love. I think Cincall will be coming to us very shortly for permission to build his own home, one to which he can bring a bride.”

I turned my head and grazed his lips with my own. “Really? Three months isn’t very long, my own.”

“Long enough.” He said and kissed me gently.

Did that mean it only took him three months to fall in love with me? I thought about that and watched him nestle Pharin in the small makeshift bed between the pillows. All four babies rolled toward each other and started exploring the fascinating arms and legs of each other. Their only difference was size. Even though our twins were 32 days younger than the Hobbit twins - Glimmer and Pharin were already a hand’s width longer. 

But aside from that Elanor and Pharin had hair the same color and looked more like sisters. Glimmer and Bilbo were close enough in coloring to be brothers. I had a suspicion that growing up so close together would bond them closer than the siblings that they appeared. They were already looking out after each other, cooing and singing happily to one another.

“We’re blessed aren’t we, Frodo?” Sam said happily and leaned over to kiss his bonded.

“Very, very blessed, my Sam.” The dark haired Hobbit rested his head on a convenient shoulder then I saw his eyes widen and his head shoot upright. “We’re about to have company.” 

A party of six Hobbits was walking up the path we’d worn along the riverbanks. I looked over to find Merry rising and helping Pip up. “Mother, Dad, we’re over here.”

“Mama?” Pip said happily and hurried toward a female Hobbit who looked just like him.

“Dad?” Sam had shot to his feet and Frodo was right behind him, hurrying towards them.

“Oh dear,” Legolas smiled a little worriedly. “I do hope that third female isn’t Rose.”

I looked hard and shook my head when Sam embraced her. “She looks rather like Sam, maybe she’s one of his sisters?”

“I certainly hope so because Sam and Frodo’s secret is about to be exposed.” He said with a tender smile down at the babies all curled around each other. I dropped a kiss on his head for luck and got up to welcome our visitors. It took a few moments for the excitement to die down to manageable levels but one of the lower benches was brought over between our blankets while the Hobbits were served up a tasty lunch.

Master Gamgee was definitely a little hard of hearing but his daughter seemed to have the knack of getting through to him. He sat on the bench and drank down a mug of river chilled beer with gusto. Little Bilbo had awakened from his post-lunch nap and begun to crawl towards the sound of his father’s voice over where he was serving beer to the other two. The Halfling twins had discovered that little trick the week before and I was pretty sure they were going to teach my two in no time flat.

“Well, bless my soul, look at him, Marigold. Isn’t he a cute one then?” The elder Gamgee smiled down at the littlest Hobbit while Sam blushed hard.

Frodo leaned over and picked up his son, carrying him over to the elder Hobbit with shaking hands. “Master Gamgee, I’d like you to meet your grandson, Bilbo.”

Dead silence fell and I could see Legolas tense with a little shiver. I knelt beside him and hugged him close while Sam joined his bonded.

“Dad, you’ve got a grandson and a granddaughter, too.” He said putting an arm around Frodo while his sister gasped and leaned in closer to look.

“Goodness, Sam, what a beautiful little boy. May I hold him?” She asked with a smile and Frodo let him go reluctantly. “Oh Sam, he has your eyes.” Cooing softly, she counted his fingers while he grabbed for her hair. “Look Dad, he has the Gamgee finger.”

Her father started and held out his gnarled hands for the baby. Frodo was so still I might have thought him a statue but for the slight tremors that betrayed him. Sam was more worried about his bonded than his son and I watched him hold tight and whisper encouraging words into his ear. The old gardener held Bilbo with expert hands, looking long and hard at the baby who was singing a little and waving his hands.

Slowly a smile blossomed on the weathered face while he inspected the crooked finger so like Sam’s. He nodded once before gazing at his son and Frodo. “A proper Gamgee, indeed. Mr. Frodo, you do good work, you do.”

The only thing holding Frodo up just then was his bonded. “Th-th-thank you, Master Gamgee.”

“Nah son, call me Dad the way Sam does. We’re a family now, we are.” He said with a wink while Legolas slowly relaxed in my arms.

Elanor began to fuss at not finding her brother and Frodo turned to pick her up with a soothing hush. Marigold’s eyes widened but she took her niece with gentle hands. “Oh Frodo, how beautiful she is and such pretty blue eyes just like yours. What’s her name?”

Sam answered. “Elanor, Sis, she’s named for a real pretty white flower that grows in the spring.” 

I relaxed and brought my attention back to my own family. Legolas was holding Glimmer close while Pharin rolled to her stomach and flexed her fingers against the blanket. It looked like Frodo and Sam had just increased their family and I wished with all my heart that Merry and Pip’s families would be just as supportive when they learned that Pip was pregnant.

Legolas leaned into my hug. “We are blessed with supportive family, my Gimli.”

I spared a fleeting thought for the one who had not been supportive. “We are indeed, beloved. Now, how about some dessert?”

He chuckled and agreed. Getting up, I made my way to the dessert table. Our anniversary was turning out to be almost better than the original day. Once again Friendly was living up to its name. Perhaps we’d even grow by a few new settlers. Whistling, I headed back with the tart lemon custard. Maybe Legolas would let me feed it to him?


	4. Chapter 4

Merry  
************ 

I had to keep pinching myself since I could hardly believe that our parents were here. I kept looking over at my mother while she cooed at little Elanor and wondering how she was going to take the news that she would be a grandmother before the year was out. Happily, I hoped and ventured a glance at Pip’s father, Paladin who was watching Frodo nurse little Bilbo with a kind of shocked look on his face.

We were so used to it that I’d forgotten how strange it must seem to them. Pip was not behaving like himself at all. He sat by his mother quietly holding her hand like he had when he was a very little Hobbit. I needed to hug him in the worst way but I was afraid to bring up our news here at the picnic instead of safely back at our home. Luckily, I’d finished the last guest bed the week before so if we borrowed some sheets from Tilly, the Weaver’s wife, then we’d be able to sleep the four of them.

The Gaffer and Marigold were going to have to sleep in our old room in Sam and Frodo’s house. We had a couple of cots in storage and with a feather bed on top of one Sam’s sister could sleep in the nursery. The babies were still in the cradle I’d made for them by their bed since they were still nursing every two hours. Those arrangements would work nicely if only our news didn’t upset them completely.

Afternoon passed gently into early dusk and we gathered up our baskets and things for the walk back. I didn’t want Pip to carry anything so I made sure that he and both our mothers had a ride back in the wagon. The Gaffer wouldn’t ride but insisted on walking with us so Marigold did too. I knew that my mother knew something was up but she just sat back and waited for us to tell her.

She was really good at that. I’d never been able to keep anything from her for very long. I think that was the Took side of her since Pip’s father was the same way. He had a habit of raising one eyebrow and pursing his lips when told something that didn’t seem to match the circumstances and Mother had almost an identical expression. I’d have to watch Pip to see if he developed it once our son or daughter was born.

That thought always made me smile and today was no exception.

“You’re happy, son.” My father said cheerfully with his hand on my shoulder.

“I’m the happiest Hobbit in Middle-earth, Dad. Wait until you see our home.” I grinned at him. “We’ve been living there for a couple of months now. I think you’ll like it. The spare rooms are furnished finally, although we’ll have to borrow some sheets from the Weaver’s wife.”

“Nonsense, son, we brought a few things with us including sheets and towels and such. Didn’t want to put you out.” He smiled and included Paladin in our conversation. “Pip’s looking pleasingly plump but you could use to add a few pounds. Everyone looks healthy, there must be something in the water that gives everyone good health.”

“I think it’s more happiness than anything else, Dad.” I tried to put into words what I meant and avoid the whole ‘plump’ issue. “We’re working together to build a place where we can grow and create something better than what came before. Our original group were all veterans of the war against Mordor.” I thought about that dark time. “We want to build up rather than tear down. Oh, I’m not saying it right.”

“No, Merry, your words are exactly right.” Paladin said slowly. “I think perhaps I understand some of the changes that I see in you and my son. It’s hard to think of my little Pip as a hardened warrior but I saw his prowess back in the Shire during the Troubles.”

‘Troubles’, I thought, that’s one way to describe the all out assault on our homeland. “Neither of us is a hardened warrior, Sir. But we’ll fight to protect each other and our home.” Then I smiled. “We don’t have to here, although we did have a scare right before Elanor and Bilbo were born.”

They promptly asked for the tale and I told them about Harriman and his obsession with Prince Legolas. They asked questions that lasted all the way back to our house. Dad immediately began to examine the framing and windows, nodding his approval at the little details of construction. Once inside, the smells of good cooking filled the air and I realized that I was hungry again. 

My mother came out of the kitchen with a smile on her face. “That Pip can cook like a dream, son. You’re very lucky to have him.”

I hugged her close. “I know it, Mama. I’m the luckiest hobbit in the whole world.”

Eglantine had followed her out. “Are we all going to fit around your dining room table? Pip is cooking enough for twenty.”

Oh, oh, I thought quickly. Pip tended to cook a lot when he was upset. “Why don’t you all look around while I help him? We’re going to need the chairs from all our rooms to seat everybody.”

Smiling brightly, I stepped into the kitchen to find Pip practicing to be a whirlwind. Dashing from counter to counter, the stove to the cool box and then to the sink. I caught him in mid-whirl and hugged him tight, murmuring reassurances to him while he vibrated in my arms. “It’s going to be all right, my love, my very own Pip. They love us both and they’re proud of us and they’ll not throw us out of the family just when we’re about to give them a grandchild.”

“They won’t?” The little sniff he gave melted me to the spot.

“No, they won’t. Your father is really proud of you. Let me tell you what he said.” And I repeated his words and our conversation while I rocked him. 

He rubbed his eyes when he stepped back and I used the corner of his shirt to blot his teardrops away. “Maybe just four courses tonight?”

I chuckled. “After all the food we ate today, I can hardly believe we’re hungry at all. Are you all right now? I better go in and make sure they found the chairs.”

“It’s a good thing you made the table so big, Merry.” He finally smiled at me and I kissed him quickly before letting him go back to the stove.

Coming out into the living room, I found our mothers finishing setting the table with the hand painted rose china that I remembered from my tween-years. “Mama, they look beautiful. I haven’t seen them in years.”

She hugged me close and reached up to kiss my cheek. “I found them in the pantry in the old wing and remembered how much you liked them when you were little. Didn’t your father tell you that we’d brought some things for your new home?”

“Yes, he did. Thank you, Mama. We didn’t have much in the way of china.” I hugged her close and she squeaked. I’d forgotten how much stronger I’d gotten. “Sorry, Mama. It’s just that I’m so happy you’re here. Where did the fathers go?”

“They’re in your workroom with a couple of other surprises.” She twinkled up at me and I kissed her again before hurrying back to the room where I created our furniture. 

They’d brought me the tools I’d used while I was growing up and some new ones that made me want to cry. I picked up each new file and laid it down again softly. Brand new and graded from extra-fine to rough, they fit my hands perfectly. I hugged Dad and then hugged Paladin for good measure. He was kind of stiff at first but then he patted my shoulder and returned the hug.

“Thank you, both of you. These are wonderful.” I had a big lump in my throat and it was kind of hard to speak. But Pip was calling us to dinner and I led them out to the alcove in the living room where we’d put the big table. All six of us fit even though the chairs didn’t match at all.

Dinner was delicious and Pip was glowing with all the praise we heaped on him. But he deserved it because he was getting to be as good as Jallico. We devoured the leg of lamb, mint sauce and new potatoes after his cabbage vinaigrette. He’d baked fresh lemon tarts earlier and we’d forgotten to take them with us to the community picnic so we polished them off for dessert.

Everybody sat back with a sigh of repletion and our mothers made the fathers do the washing up. It looked very odd indeed to see Paladin with an apron around his waist and his hands in soapy water. Mama shooed us back into the front room and we cuddled in one of the wing chairs while we got up the courage to tell them about the baby.

It was hardly long enough before they sank onto the settee and the other wing chair. Paladin and Eglantine took the love seat while my parents squeezed happily into the roomy chair that was a match for ours. Before I could start to speak, Mama spoke up.

“Now would be a good time for you to tell us why you have that lovely little nursery next to your room, my darlings.”

I gulped hard and squeezed Pip’s sweaty hand. “Pip is going to have a baby in about four months.”

The silence was deafening then Eglantine got up and came over to us, holding out her arms to hug her son. “My baby, my sweet Pip, how very brave you are.”

“Mama,” Pip burst into tears. “You’re . . . you’re not disappointed in me?”

“Never, my little one, I could never be disappointed in you. You’re sweet and brave and such a marvelous son that I’m very, very proud of you.”

“Was it another potion?” Paladin asked gruffly and I thought I saw tears in his eyes.

So we told them about the trip into the mountain and the crystals that helped Frodo give birth. Then about what happened afterwards. Mama was crying and so was Eglantine by the time we were done. 

“Just how dangerous will giving birth be?” Paladin looked worried and Pip pulled from his mother’s arms to go sit by his father.

“Maybe a little dangerous, Father, but Frodo was fine and he had two babies inside of him. I’ve only got one and Lorrin said that I’ll be all right.” He reassured him.

Paladin hugged him close and Pip burst into tears again. “There, there, Pip, I’m proud of you, I am indeed. I don’t think I’d be so brave, my dear son. To know that you’re carrying my grandchild makes me the proudest Hobbit in Middle-earth.”

I relaxed muscles that I didn’t know were tense and just about melted into a puddle of relief. A quick look at my parents told me that everybody was all right with our news. Eglantine hugged me then she joined her husband and son on the settee while my mother hugged me close.

The next two hours were spent talking about the baby and what we’d need for him or her. Since they didn’t have to go through the mountains, they made plans to come back at the end of October so they’d be here for the birth. We talked about what to tell the rest of the family and the Shire. But then we put that talk aside so we could include the Gamgee family and Frodo.

Besides Pip was practically asleep on his feet. All the emotions of the last few hours had exhausted him. We showed them the bathroom and left them to it. I got a basin of hot water for us and bathed a sleepy Pip before tucking him into bed with a soft kiss. He was asleep in an instant and I brushed his hair back gently for a few moments while I thought about the day.

No doubt about it, I was the luckiest, happiest Hobbit in all of Middle-earth.

***********   
Sam  
*********** 

I said goodnight to Marigold in the nursery and checked on Dad in the guestroom. He was already snoring and I shut the door thankfully. I hurried to the bathroom where Frodo and the babies were getting ready for our bath. Shedding my clothes in a heap on the marble tiles, I took Elanor into the warm water with Frodo right behind me with Bilbo.

The babies loved the water and splashed happily from between our legs. I watched Frodo tickle Bilbo with soapy hands and listened contentedly to our son’s squeals of laughter. Elanor chuckled when I took the soap and began to wash her. They had no fear of the water at all and I realized that I was going to have to learn how to swim if I wanted to keep up with my own children.

“Swimming lessons, Sam. You’re going to need to help me teach them.” My psychic bonded said out loud.

I grinned at him. “Reading my mind again, my Frodo?”

He smiled back at me. “Your face is very expressive, my love. I want them to be as at home in the water as on land.”

I thought I might know why he was so adamant about it. He still thought longingly of his parents, lost in that boating accident when he was young. “I promise to let you teach me then I’ll help you teach the babies.”

“Good,” he cuddled Bilbo close and our son spied his nipple, leaking a little milk. 

Bilbo latched on and started nursing while Frodo rocked him gently. I loved watching him do that. It reminded me that he’d carried them inside of his body for nine long months. The older they got, the more fun they were and I had the passing thought that I’d like to have a couple more children before too much longer.

“When they’re two years old, Sam then I’ll ask Lorrin for that Hobbit potion that he’s working on.” My bonded smiled sweetly at me and I started at his mind reading.

“I know it’s too soon, love but they’re so much fun.” I said sheepishly.

“They are indeed, sweetheart but I need all my energy to keep up with them right now. By the time they’re older, I’ll be ready to lose sight of my feet again.” He chuckled and laid Bilbo on the towel by the side of the tub where he fell almost instantly to sleep. Then I handed him Elanor so she could suckle at his other nipple.

He laid back cuddling her close while I started to wash his feet. He loves that and he relaxed completely while I massaged my way up his legs, lightly over his groin then up his free arm. She’d fallen asleep in mid suck and I took her out of his arms, laying her by Bilbo on the dry towel.

Frodo had the soap now and a gleam in his eye that told me I was going to get teased. I loved how playful he’d grown. He hardly ever had any melancholic moments these days and I liked to think that was because he knew he was loved. He’d done so much good over the last two years that finally he was beginning to accept that he was not a failure.

“Dear Sam, how very lucky we are.” He slid soapy fingers over my chest, tweaking my nipples before sliding over my shoulders and drawing me close. He kissed me sweetly and I sucked on his tasty tongue for a long moment while we washed each other’s back.

When we finally had to breathe, I stroked his cheek. “I am so lucky that you love me and was willing to bear our children.”

He shook his head slowly. “I’m the lucky one, my Sam. I can hardly believe that we’re a family now and that your family is all right with us and the babies. I hope that Pip and Merry are as lucky.”

“We’ll help each other the way we always do, my Frodo.” I kissed him and fished out the soap to finish bathing him. We’d find out tomorrow how our friends were. I could hardly wait to get my bonded to bed so we could celebrate our bonding day. It had been the best anniversary I’d ever had. And we would have many, many more.


	5. Chapter 5

Gloin  
*********** 

The weather continued hot and sultry so it was a pleasure going to work in the tunnels of White Cap. It was good to work with Gimli again, mining the old mountain for the minerals and ores that Friendly needed. Balik and Reason worked along side of us usually but one afternoon, I found myself alone. Whistling while I tapped on a nice vein of copper ore, I took some samples to smelt at the farrier’s forge that Gimli had built in one of the upper caves. 

It was cooler than it would have been in the village with nothing to dissipate the heat of the forge’s fire. I was working on a christening cup for Pip and Merry’s youngster but we always needed more copper pipe for water runs to the new houses we were building so I gathered enough samples to test for purity and made my way up to the forge. Balik was working on sharpening axes and he nodded a greeting but kept on working.

He always was a silent one but I was used to that and got to work making the fire hotter to melt the samples into their component parts. Metallurgy was as much an art for me as it was a science. Others wished to work only with the precious metals like gold, silver and mithril but as Legolas had said so pithily, ‘a well made iron cooking pot is just as beautiful as a mithril tiara and ten times more useful.’

Thinking about him reminded me that I’d left before the twins had awakened so I hadn’t had my share of hugs for the day. Whistling again, I lowered the samples into the fire to see what else lurked inside the greenish gray rocks. An hour later, I’d made a few notes about the nickel content and tidied up the forge so I could go home. Calling goodbye to Balik, I began the walk down to the village.

And as usual, Lorrin appeared beside me at the entrance of the tunnel where I emerged from darkness into the light. He was almost as silent as Balik but that was all right. I told him where I’d been, what I’d found, how I’d tested the ore and what my conclusions were. He listened intently and nodded once before telling me what we’d be having for dinner, stuffed quail, asparagus with wine sauce, potato fritters and cherry pie for dessert.

I was starving and practically drooling by the time he finished describing it. I threatened him with torture but he just smiled a little and said that Glimmer had attempted his first crawl. I picked up the pace so I could get home quicker. The sooner I washed up the sooner I could go find my grandson. He went in with me and sat waiting while I removed the heavy shirt I needed for inside the mountain and sluiced off the worst of the sweat. That felt wonderful and I decided to ask him to braid my hair back the way Gimli had taken to wearing his.

He swore it was much cooler and I could see how it might be. I dried my face and wondered if it might not be wise to trim my beard also. The babies’ soft skin was easily scratched especially in this hot weather. Perhaps just for the summer? I turned my head from side to side and tried to picture how I’d look without so much face hair.

“Lorrin, do you think I should trim my beard?” I called out.

He appeared silently and leaned gracefully against the doorjamb. “It would be cooler and not so scratchy.”

“Yes-s-s,” I combed through it with my fingers and gave a heavy sigh. “All right, get me the scissors, please.”

He chuckled once and disappeared, only to reappear with the scissors I kept in the front room. Handing them over, he hesitated behind me. “I could braid your hair the way Gimli has his?”

“Please, I was just going to ask you.” I said to his reflection in the mirror above the sink.

While he combed out my hair, I started snipping away. Really, it didn’t look too bad, I thought while cutting a little more then yet more. Finally it was only about an inch long everywhere and I gathered up the long strands to throw away. I was feeling cooler all ready.

Lorrin finished braiding my hair and I looked at myself in the mirror. “Not so bad for an old Dwarf, eh Lorrin?”

“You are but a child still, my friend.” He chuckled and rested his hands on my bare shoulders. I’d forgotten that I was half-naked and I brushed through my thick chest hair to make sure the snips of beard hadn’t gotten caught in the black and silver curls.

“Why don’t you find a cooler shirt while I take care of the . . . remains?” He asked quietly and I gladly gave the tangled pieces to him before heading into my bedroom. Legolas had gifted me with several light linen shirts in summer colors instead of my usual black and I pulled one of them from the clothes cupboard that I’d commissioned from Merry. He was going to be a master woodsman one of these days.

We’d done a swap with me making all the cooking pans that Pippin wanted in exchange for the cupboard that I’d needed. We were all quite satisfied with our trade. Most of the work in Friendly was done that way, at least among ourselves. Several of the traders that came through had taken some of our goods on contract and also lists of items we needed that we couldn’t make ourselves.

Although those items were few and far between these days. We’d grown quite self-sufficient and that was a good feeling. I smiled while tucking in my tan shirt. I was enjoying myself for the first time in a decade. The war years had taken most of the pleasure of living away and it was good to feel the simple delight in making cooking pots and pipes for hot water. 

Going out into the front room, I found Lorrin waiting in the wing chair. He no longer sat on the edge of the cushion as if ready to take flight but sat back and tucked a leg under him in careless comfort. That was good to see as well, we’d grown into friends as odd as that might have seemed to the old Gloin, who’d set out six months before to find his son and talk some sense into him.

“Ready for dinner?” I asked and he rose with the same grace that Legolas always showed. Dwarf bodies aren’t made that way and I envied his fluid gait. He quirked his head at me in question and I shook myself free of the odd thought. We joined a few of our neighbors who were also headed for the dining hall and Lorrin went quiet the way he usually did with anyone not in our family group.

Family group, I paused at the odd phrasing my mind had supplied to me. Did I think of him as family? Remembering how he’d reached inside of Legolas and delivered small Glimmer, I realized that I did think of him as part of our family. At the very least, he was my friend and I never thought that I’d have an Elf for a friend. But as we entered the dining hall and I caught sight of Legolas, I’d never thought to have an Elf for a son, either.

But I wouldn’t trade him for the world or the babies that he’d given Gimli, who was looking at me with openmouthed shock. I preened for him, turning my head from side to side so he could get the whole effect. Legolas was laughing at me and holding Glimmer up to see me. That little sprite didn’t care about my hair, he just wanted a hug and I took him from my elven son’s hands to give him what he wanted. He cooed for me and patted my face with baby hands.

I refuse to talk baby talk to them but I have been known to make funny noises to make them laugh. Glimmer particularly likes my duck squawk so I made sure that I teased his tummy while he giggled over and over. 

“Papa, you look very nice and much cooler.” Legolas smiled at me and drew out my chair so I could sit down beside him. “Did you braid your hair yourself?”

“Nope, son, Lorrin did a good job, didn’t he?” I handed Glimmer back to him and took Pharin from my other son. She most definitely approved of my short beard, patting my cheeks and cooing to me with her sweet voice.

“A most excellent job, Lorrin.” Gimli said slowly and sat down on my other side while the elder Elf sat just beyond him.

“He will find it cooler in this heat.” Lorrin said softly and I noticed that he had taken the seat he usually took, the one with his back to the wall. He had to be the most vigilant body I’d ever known but then maybe he’d had to be over the long years of cursed Angmar and his demon brood.

Dinner was delicious, as always and the hum of conversation rose and fell with the courses. Pip was looking rather tired and a little over-heated so Merry was fussing a bit. Frodo commiserated with him over the kicks that the baby was giving him. Sam mentioned that their backyard lily pond was nice and cool if they wanted to soak for a bit. Of course, he told them that they couldn’t disturb the water lilies he had planted.

Lorrin’s soft voice seconded the idea, saying that it wouldn’t hurt the baby at all and would make Pip more comfortable. Merry accepted with a sigh of relief and they made plans to have a soak after dinner. I mulled over the idea of taking a swim in the river to cool off myself. 

“How about a swim in the Lesta, children?” I asked Gimli hopefully.

“My love, what do you think? It would be nice and cool.” Gimli looked at Legolas who was discretely nursing Glimmer while trying to finish his peach cobbler.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea. We can use the little cove near the foothills and be quite private.” He smiled at us all and I beamed at him.

“Good, it’s about time we began teaching the babies to swim. I don’t ever want to worry about their safety in the water.” I finished my own cobbler and contemplated licking the bowl. Jallico really is an inspired cook.

It wasn’t long afterwards that we walked the Hobbits to Sam and Frodo’s home then moved on to the small cove where the willows shaded the river. We turned the sign that we’d stuck on the path to ‘in use’ so we didn’t have to worry about any of the others disturbing our privacy. Even in this heat, most of the village enjoyed the warm water spa half way between the stables and the archives.

Once in the cove, I undressed while watching my sons dither over the temperature of the water. Shaking my head, I slipped off my boots and peeled my breeches off my sticky legs. The fresh water was calling my name and I slipped into the cool shallows with a sigh of relief. Lorrin waded out before diving into the deeper water and swimming away like one of the silver fish that had swarmed the river a month earlier.

Legolas and Gimli joined me, each holding one of my grandchildren. The first touch of cool water brought a torrent of splashing from both of them. It was still a bit of a shock to see those long golden limbs of my Elven son. But seated beside Gimli their differences in height paled at the contrast between Gimli’s dark hair and Legolas’ blond. I chuckled at the giggles that were erupting from the children.

Lorrin swam back to us and stood waist deep with a smile on his face. “They have no fear of the water. That’s good. Try floating Glimmer on his back.”

Gimli and I watched anxiously while Legolas gently laid the little boy into the water with his hands curved protectively beneath. The baby seemed to like it, his little hands splashing the water a bit. There was water in his ears but that didn’t seem to bother him. His little legs began to move and he abruptly sank below the surface. Legolas brought him back up immediately and he scrunched up his face, letting loose a sputtering cry.

“There, there, Glimmer. It’s all right, little one. You’re fine.” Legolas said softly and the baby quieted at once. “Let’s try it again.”

I chuckled and left them to it, getting up and making my way out to where Lorrin stood. Together we swam up the river for a while then floated on our backs for long, blissful moments. I thought about the Blue Mountains and my life before I came to Friendly. There was nothing that I missed except for a few friends but here I had family.

Here I had satisfying work, a growing family and a home I’d made my own. It wasn’t what I’d expected to find after so many years living with my dwarven kin. Here is where I would live out my remaining years, watching my grandchildren grow up and helping Friendly grow. That felt very good indeed and I smiled at the blue sky above me while I let the cool currents waft me down the river.

“Time to go back, Gloin. The weather is about to change.” Lorrin’s voice came a little muffled through the water to me.

I blinked and righted myself, treading water and eyeing a couple of clouds that had moved in while I was daydreaming. “Bad weather?”

“A summer thunderstorm, no more. But swimming is not recommended.” Lorrin smiled at me and began swimming with flashing brown arms back to the cove.

I followed since I had no desire to have the babies caught out in a storm. By the time we’d reached them, the two clouds had become a hundred and a few towered high in the sky. Gimli and Legolas were all ready dressed and looking anxiously towards the river. They greeted us with relieved smiles and we sent them home, telling them not to wait for us. 

Drying off with my shirt, I pulled my pants up over damp legs and stamped my feet into my boots. Lorrin seemed to slide into his clothes with ease and I sighed at his graceful movements, wondering if this was what Gimli felt when he looked at Legolas. Elves and Dwarves were so different that I wondered why it seemed our family was drawn to them.  
I blinked once then looked down to button my shirt. 

Drawn? I fumbled with the buttons and felt the first drop of rain plop on my head.

“We’re about to get even wetter, Gloin.” Lorrin’s voice was amused and I looked up to see the biggest smile I’d ever seen on his thin face.

“I’ve always enjoyed walking in the rain, my friend.” I replied and gave up buttoning in favor of walking quickly down the path while my thoughts chased after me.

He kept pace with me and I watched him out of the corner of my eye. His hair was still neatly tucked into his braid and I wondered what mine looked like. It slapped against my back but then Lorrin’s was, too. His body was whipcord lean compared to my thick, compact shape. He was a good foot taller than me but that wasn’t so bad since Legolas had two foot on my son.

I’m pretty garrulous while he’s one of the quietest people I know. His violet eyes darted to me and caught me looking. His eyebrow went up in a silent question and I shook my head once. I wasn’t ready to share my current thoughts just yet. I told myself that I was imagining things. I was a widower with a grown son and two grandchildren. I had absolutely no business wondering what those thin lips would taste like.

Or if he was a silent lover?

We passed Gimli and Legolas’ home and my breath seemed more labored than it should. Another few yards and we were at my door. I eyed it and took a deep breath. “Come in for a cup of tea, Lorrin?”

A rain drenched face looked back at me, his body might as well have been naked since his shirt stuck to him like a second skin. “A cup of tea would be nice.”

“Good.” I swallowed hard and opened my front door. I was going to take my time and see if I was really feeling what I thought I was feeling. “I’ll get us a couple of towels if you’ll put on the hot water.”

“Yes,” he disappeared into the kitchen and I headed for the bathroom with a few butterflies flapping in my stomach.

What was I thinking? I was too old to be worrying about taking a lover.


	6. Chapter 6

Lorrin  
************* 

The day after the thunderstorm brought the long awaited messenger from the King in Gondor. Gloin and I were breakfasting with Prince Legolas and his bonded when the knock came at their door. The black haired man was haggard with tight eyes that spoke of too much riding and not enough rest. He looked like he hadn’t had a good meal in days and the first thing that my Prince did was command him to sit and eat. Once he’d devoured a plate of eggs and sausage, his brown eyes looked a little clearer.

A cup of the strong tea that Gloin makes and he became even more alert. 

“Prince Legolas, I bring greetings from King Aragorn.” His voice was hoarse and he swallowed a little more tea. “Have any other messengers arrived since the Yule?”

“None,” Prince Legolas shook his head. “How many were sent?”

“I am the fourth.” He sighed. “We know what happened to two of them. One was killed by a band of Orcs on the edges of Mirkwood. The second one got thrown from his horse and broke both legs. The third one disappeared somewhere between Lothlorien and Rivendell and we know not where he is. I was followed for some distance but shook them a week ago.”

“What news do you bring besides the knowledge that Middle-earth is not yet safe?” Gimli asked him with a frown while he burped Glimmer on one shoulder.

“The Queen is delivered of a son. Eldarion was christened on April 21st. His grandfather, the Lord Elrond was in attendance as well as Mithrandir.” He stopped and cleared his throat, taking another sip of tea. For the next hour he spoke of events in the outer world that brought both tears and laughter from those around the table. But he finally faltered, his voice hoarse and his eyes half-closed with exhaustion.

I quietly helped him to the clinic with Gloin on his other side to steer his stumbling footsteps. Rhea tucked him into one of the beds there and we left him to return to the Prince’s home. They decided to wait to share the news both good and bad until the messenger himself could deliver it. We’d been blessed with peace and security and this was a reminder that the rest of Middle-earth was not enjoying the same.

Prince Legolas was especially concerned with the statement that Mithrandir had set off from Rivendell to visit Friendly in time for the births. He’d never arrived and I could see that disturbed him greatly. I’d met the mage once a long time ago and I wondered how he had changed over the centuries. Casting a quick look at the Dwarf by my side, I admitted to myself that I’d done some changing myself.

Gloin had gone quiet the night before and I tried to remember if I’d done or said something to disturb him. He’d been glancing at me off and on since our swim and I knew not how to interpret his gazes. And right now I couldn’t take the time to ask. I had to make a check of the wards that protected this valley from invaders. It was not chance that we’d suffered none of the incursions that plagued other parts of Middle-earth.

My people had placed powerful spells tied to the valley crystals that delineated the boundaries we’d set up in the First Age. I usually reinforced them once a year but the last time was right after the birth of my Prince’s children. The explosion of power their births released had sent the spells into flux and I’d had to journey to the four corners where the crystals grew to steady them.

It took much of my energy and I barely made it to the sacred center before falling into a healing trance. The bonded pair in front of me had no idea of the powerful mages they’d created. It was an honor to be present at the birth of such unique twins. The next few years were going to be interesting while they grew into their own. I might have despaired at the thought of teaching new talent at my age but I’d recently begun to feel younger than my true years.

I found Gloin glancing my way again and felt a tingle I’d not felt for two thousand years. What was it about Dwarves that this son should bond to my Prince and his father attract a decrepit Elf like me? But attract me he did and perhaps these glances meant the attraction went both ways. I wanted to stay and talk to him but duty called and I needed to get to the mountain to summon help to travel to the four corners.

But first I made sure that he knew that I would be back in two days. His gruff voice bid me safe journey and I left without looking back. Running lightly I made the peak of Ragnall within six hours. Resting on a ledge high on the north face of the mountain, I sent out my thoughts to my old friend. Breathing deep of the clear crisp air, I waited patiently.

Long moments passed and I found my thoughts turning once again to Gloin. His good humor, common sense and down-to-earth philosophy was refreshing after all the years spent alone with only my memories to warm me. The joy he brought to even the smallest of events had rekindled my own. Perhaps the children born so recently had contributed to my own rebirth but after centuries of silence and sleep, I was ready to rejoin Middle-earth.

Ready to begin to live again. 

A rush of air signaled the arrival of my friend. //Old One, you have been long away.//

Rising, I brushed the soft feathers between the golden eyes. //Cloud-walker, I have been busy with the new settlers to our valley.//

//We smelled their fires and watched from afar.// The great head leaned a little harder into my caress and I made sure that my scratching hit the itchy spot.

//They are good people, Cloud, and twins of power have recently been born.// I stroked his head feathers and he fluffed them out a little more so I could get to the soft skin beneath. //Will you bear me to the four corners, my friend? Dire happenings are occurring and I fear one or more of the Guardians has been tampered with.//

He ruffled his feathers all over and his eyes flashed fire. //Mount, Old One. I shall fly you there and back again. We wish no evil for our nests.//

I ducked under his great wing and pulled myself up between his wings, hooking my feet in the tendons of his neck and making sure that I was firmly seated on his back scales. With a smooth glide from the ledge, Cloud-walker bore me up into the cold air currents that swirled around the mountain tops. I huddled closer to his warm body and wished that I’d thought to bring a warm cloak

Hopefully, we’d find nothing wrong and I would soon return to the Dwarf who so intrigued me. 

********   
Gloin  
******** 

I sat on the back step of my home and listened to the frogs croaking in the small lily pond that Sam had helped me create. The heat of the day had slowly passed and at midnight the stars shone clear and bright above me. I’d had my bath an hour earlier and now sat on the cool stone steps in just my short pants. Idly I scratched my chest and yawned wide. It had been an eventful day that saw Glimmer start to crawl and his sister right after him.

The fact that he’d been crawling towards a beetle, which he then tried to eat had made me laugh and Legolas cringe. Pretty soon now he was going to have to start my grandson on solid food or the boy would just eat everything he laid his baby hands on. If I remembered right, Gimli had tried the same thing about the time he turned one. Glimmer was just very advanced for his age.

Not that I was prejudiced or anything.

I snorted back a laugh and decided to head in to sleep. Standing up, I stretched all over and took another look at the sky. But it wasn’t there, instead of stars there was only blackness and the sound of rushing wings. Before I could get too frightened, there was a slight thump in the darkness and I realized that something had landed in the tall grass. A flap of wings and the sky disappeared again. I tried to follow it but all I could see was a huge shape that seemed to span the trees before whispering away.

“Gloin,” the sound of my name told me that Lorrin had returned. 

But I’d never heard him stumble before and that was definitely what he’d just done. Heading for the sound, I found him kneeling in the grass with his head bowed almost to his knees. 

“Lorrin,” only then did I realize how badly I’d missed him. Crouching before him, I tried to see him clearly. “Are you hurt?”

“Tired,” he managed to get out. “Cold.”

He didn’t even resist when I pulled him upright and got his arm over my shoulder. He was icy cold even in this heat and I dragged him towards the house so I could see what was really wrong. He tried to walk but the stumbling gait was so unlike him that my alarm grew. Once inside, I could see that he was asleep on his feet but the blue tinge around his mouth and ears told me that I needed to warm him up and quickly.

I don’t know where he’d been but it must have been colder than a January day. Walking him back to the bathroom, I eased him down and started running a bath. He lay shivering on the floor as if he’d lost his ability to do anything but shake. I pulled off his soft leather boots then raised him high enough to slide his shirt off over his head. Then, with a stern admonition to behave myself, I peeled him out of his leather pants.

Sliding him into the hot water, I debated with myself. Get in with him or stay out?

“Gloin,” the husky murmur decided me right then and there.

“Hold on, my friend.” I left my short pants on although they were feeling a little snug and slid in behind him. He was shivering continuously and I began to rub all his skin within reach. Like Legolas he was almost completely hairless and my callused fingers felt too rough against the satin smooth skin of his chest.

“So good,” he sighed near my ear and turned his head just a little, his lips grazing my beard. 

I gulped once and kept on rubbing some warmth into his skin. “You’ll be warmer in a few moments, Lorrin. Then we’ll get some hot tea into you and tuck you into my bed.”

A sleepy chuckle was his only answer and I just knew that he was going to fall asleep on me. Maybe that was all right for now, I thought. We still had some talking to do about what exactly was going on between us. While he was gone on his mysterious errand, I’d done some heavy thinking. Watching Gimli and Legolas together had made me rather envious. They’d grown so close that they often finished other’s sentences now.

The babies had just brought that closeness to a whole new level of loving care. Seeing them touch each other made me ache for someone of my own to touch. My grandchildren were wondrous creatures but they couldn’t calm the ache inside of me. I was beginning to think that the Elf in my arms just might be the one to soothe and torment me at the same time.

With a little sigh that might have been a kiss, Lorrin was out like a light. Just my luck, I finally decide to take the next step and he falls asleep on me. I chuckled quietly and pulled out the stopper with my toes so the water could drain out. Sitting up slowly, I propped him on the side of the tub and got out first. Drying him was almost impossible but I got some of the water off before picking him up and carrying him into my bedroom. Sliding him between the sheets, I watched him curl up around my pillow and smile.

Tomorrow morning I was going to ask him what he dreamed of. For now, I went back out to make sure all the lamps were blown out then I joined him under the sheet. I was going to get some answers tomorrow or know the reason why.

***** 

I was too warm and I tried to stretch but only one arm obeyed. Opening my eyes I found Lorrin tucked under my chin with his arms around me and his soft breath stirring the curls on my chest. His black hair was like spun silk against my skin and I took a deep breath to inhale its clean fragrance into my lungs.

“Thank you, Gloin.” His voice said into my throat.

“You’re quite welcome, Lorrin. You feel warmer.” Hot, I thought, you feel hot.

He raised his head and those violet eyes of his stared into mine. “I need to rest some more to replace the energy I spent on the valley wards, which I know doesn’t make any sense just yet. I promise to explain it after I finish sleeping. Will you be here when I awake again?”

My brain raced through his words while my body responded enthusiastically to the hard body against mine. “I’ll be here, Lorrin.”

That smile reappeared, the one that I’d only seen recently. “Would you do something for me, Gloin?”

Like I had a choice with my tiny little brain cataloging every inch of his sexy body against mine, I thought without even an ounce of regret. “Certainly.”

“Kiss me and keep holding me close.”

“Always,” I said gently and pulled him closer. The first touch of his lips against mine felt so very odd that I had to stop and think for a moment. But when his tongue darted out to lick his thin lips, I just had to capture it in my mouth. He tasted sweet like some kind of berry and I sucked on his tongue for long moments until we had to part and drag some air into our lungs.

His eyes glowed with a fire that warmed me right down to my toes. “You have made me feel again, Gloin. After centuries of loneliness I have awakened to life again. That is such a beautiful gift you’ve given me.”

“What time I have left is yours, Lorrin.” I regretted my age for the first time in a decade. He had centuries left while I had at the very most another fifty years.

“There will be time enough, my friend.” His smile was enigmatic to say the least. “I will not willingly lose you if I have anything to say about the matter.” His eyelids closed and he dragged them open with an effort. “For now, I need more sleep. Three days should be enough. Don’t worry if I do not rouse.”

I leaned in and kissed him again, tracing his lips with the tip of my tongue. His parted and I slid inside to map my way around his delicious mouth. Pulling back, I began to scatter tiny kisses over his tanned face. “Rest, Lorrin. Regain your energy so we can spend it in mad, passionate lovemaking.”

He chuckled once and fell asleep, just like that. I loosened his braid and finger combed the long strands of silk. He smiled and arched into my hand even in his sleep. He was a sensual Elf, I thought with a smile of satisfaction and he’s my Elf.

My Elf - that had a nice sound to it. I smiled and closed my eyes again for a little more sleep. Hopefully, I’d find a way to tell the boys of the changes in my life before this went too much farther. But it was going to go further, I had his word on that. And his cryptic words? Well, we’d find out when he woke up.

I cuddled him a little closer and daydreamed myself right back to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Gimli  
************** 

I walked back home in a state of shock, putting one foot in front of the other while my brain kept rerunning the last few moments over and over. I’d been a little worried when my father hadn’t come to breakfast. Letting myself in his front door, I didn’t call out in case he was asleep. Well, he was sleeping all right but it was the fact that he was sleeping with someone that had me so upset.

Lorrin was curled around him like a clinging vine and from what I could see; they were both naked under the green sheet. Papa was snoring but Lorrin didn’t make a sound. He appeared to be the silent sleeper that Legolas was. His black hair flowed out like a cloud over my father’s chest and Papa’s fingers were tangled in it as if he’d been combing through it the way that I loved to comb through my bonded’s hair.

“Beloved, what’s wrong?” Legolas’ voice awoke me from the stupor I was in. I realized that I’d entered the front room without any memory of getting there. He was rocking Pharin while Glimmer nursed at his breast. “Is there something wrong with Papa?”

Shaking my head, I sat down heavily on the settee. “He’s sleeping.”

“Oh dear, Lorrin must be back.” 

I looked at him with open-mouthed shock. “What?”

“Gimli,” he smiled tenderly at me. “Papa has been struggling with something for almost a week now. It started the night we gave the children their first swimming lesson. I’m afraid that your family is susceptible to Elves.” 

I gazed at him, remembering when I first acknowledged that I loved him. I’d been shocked and scared but I’d known if there was even a chance then I was willing to take it. Could it be that way for my father? What if I had to give up my shining bonded because it just wasn’t done in Middle-earth for Dwarves to love Elves? Give up the other half of my soul?

“Durin’s Beard, we certainly are and thank the Lady!” Springing up, I stopped his rocking and kissed him hard. Our tongues surged together and I savored his taste all the way down to my toes. Pharin started giggling and I felt her baby hands tugging at my shirt while Glimmer let go of his nipple to join in with his giggles. Letting his sweet lips go, I picked our daughter up and held her close. 

“I just hope he doesn’t decide to give me a brother or sister.” I said dryly and listened to my bonded’s delighted laughter.

“Gimli, I do love you.” He smiled at me. “We can give them our support and understanding. It will not be easy for Papa to have his life turned upside down. We’ve already done that once to him. But we love them both so we are going to help them as much as they will let us.”

He always looked so princely when he spoke that way that I had the urge to bow to him and say ‘yes, my lord’. I just didn’t tell him that. Instead I handed Pharin back and kissed all three goodbye for the day. I had a sudden need to hew stone. Balik and I headed for the caves where our blue-green marble was in abundance and proceeded to mine enough for fifteen fireplaces, twenty-six countertops and thirty-two benches.

I was sore and aching by the time I finally returned home. Nanala and Pfister were just leaving with the twins and I gave the babies a kiss before heading back to the bathroom. Somehow Legolas had known exactly what I needed and the water was steaming hot. He appeared behind me and swiftly whisked my clothes away before easing me into the tub. The water bubbled when I sat down just like it did in the mineral springs and I looked up in surprise.

“One of the recipes in the Varyan texts talked of the benefits of powdered salts and I had Rhea make some up for us.” He smiled and slid in behind me, pulling me back against him. I relaxed all over when he held me tight and kissed my ear. “We will soak for fifteen minutes then I will wash you from head to toe. Then I’m going to put you to bed and feed you myself, every single bite.”

I tingled all over and it wasn’t the salt. We’d not had much chance lately for pampering each other and it looked like it was my turn. My muscles relaxed in the heated water and when he began to wash me they felt like limp noodles. My mind shut down completely and the only thing I could think was how very much I loved the strong hands massaging me into bliss.

“Beloved, do you have the strength to leave the tub?” Legolas whispered in my ear and I opened my eyes, wondering if I’d fallen asleep. 

“Maybe a hand up?” I asked sheepishly and he laughed out loud before pulling me upright and into his arms. He kissed me tenderly and I returned it with all my heart.

When the world tilted on me, it was nice to know that he’d be there to hold me up. I let him dry me off and when he led me to bed, I let him tuck me in with another kiss and an admonishment to stay there until he could bring in our supper. I rested against the cushions he’d piled at the head of the bed and closed my eyes for a moment.

A kiss woke me and I blinked at Legolas, who was smiling at me with a most besotted look. “Dearest, your nap has done you good. Hold this for a moment.”

A tray was placed in my lap followed by a baby in the middle of the bed. Glimmer immediately rolled over and tried to crawl up onto the tray. While I was distracted, Pharin got plunked between my legs and then she began practicing her crawling, too. While I defended my supper, Legolas joined us on the bed. Dinner was filled with laughter while first Pharin then Glimmer tasted my meal a finger at a time.

The bed was rather messy when we were done but I felt much better. I loved and was loved to overflowing. How could I not want my father to have the same feelings? If Lorrin was the one who helped heal the loneliness then I should be happy for him. I shouldn’t sulk like Glimmer had when I rescued the custard from his grasp but smile and welcome the addition to the family.

And once I’d loved Legolas right into melting, I was going over there and welcoming Lorrin to the family. Glimmer fell asleep in mid-tickle and my love winked at me before scooping our son up and taking him down to the nursery where we’d finally moved their cradle. Pharin was still singing but she was slowing down, too. I rocked her a little with a deep hum that she seemed to enjoy and her eyelids fluttered once, then again and finally she was sound asleep.

Before I could disentangle myself from the bed clothes, Legolas was back. Giving me a stern look, he plucked her from my arms and dropped a kiss on my cheek. He left soft-footed and I immediately had those tingles back from our bath. Suddenly I wasn’t quite so tired after all and I made haste to set the tray full of empty dishes onto the bed stand. I couldn’t do anything about the sheets but if I was very lucky we were going to mess them up anyway.

Smiling to myself I settled back to see what he had planned.

********  
Gloin  
******** 

I awoke for the second time with a start. Listening intently, I couldn’t decide what had awakened me but I finally settled back and resumed stroking Lorrin’s hair. It was probably just a branch against the roof or something, I decided. I didn’t want to have to get up and let the Elf in my arms go. It felt much too good to finally be touching someone again after all the years alone.

“Gloin,” his voice was so soft that I almost didn’t hear him. He raised his head and looked me in the eye with such a look of joy that it almost brought tears to my eyes. “You are all right with . . . this?” He gestured at our entwined bodies.

“I’ve been thinking about,” I mimicked his gesture, making sure that I touched his bare skin, “this . . . for a while now. I have no experience with this kind of loving so I ask you to be my guide, if that is all right with you?”

His smile grew slowly until I thought it would stretch from ear to ear. “I would be delighted, Gloin.”

I looked into those beautiful violet eyes and marveled at them. He was glowing all over and his skin seemed to heat in an instant, going from relaxed to taut in a heartbeat. He slowly lowered his lips to mine and I closed my eyes to keep from watching. Soft, he was so soft that it felt like rose petals brushing against my mouth.

Opening instinctively, I felt his tongue slowly ease between my lips. Sweet, he tasted sweet like winterberries in the fall, I decided. Heat seeped between us everywhere we touched and my senses whirled around me, deluging me with so many impressions I couldn’t understand them all. His beautiful hands stroked my shoulders while his lips nibbled at mine. I was doubly glad that I’d cut my beard, for it would have only gotten in the way.

Hard yet soft, the contradictions should have bewildered me since my only knowledge of loving was with Alanna. But this was Lorrin, my friend and his touch lighted fires beneath my skin the likes of which I’d never known. I burned everywhere we touched and when he gently bit my nipple I thought I’d buck him off the bed. His chuckle told me he was moving slowly down my body and I pried my eyes open to watch him in disbelief.

His elegant fingers wrapped around my cock while the ends of his hair teased my inner thighs. Lying between my legs, he blew gently over my crown while my groin tightened. But at the first lick of his tongue, I closed my eyes again. If I watched I was going to explode and with my eyes shut I could concentrate on feeling the amazing sensations that he was introducing me to.

Moist warmth around my crown; callused fingers sliding back my foreskin; a hot breath blown across my quivering flesh; a low humming that raised the hair on the back of my neck; the smell of arousal that surrounded us; the feeling that a sudden storm had arisen and was about to overtake us.

His tongue fluttered just under my crown while his fingers very gently rolled my balls between them. It was much too soon but it had been so long since I’d had relief except from my own hand that I couldn’t help myself. His weight on my legs was the only thing holding me to the bed. Trying to thrust up into the hot haven of his mouth, I spent myself with a moan they probably heard back in the Blue Mountains.

Shivering, I pulsed into Lorrin’s mouth until I was completely limp. His touches were soft and soothing now, rather than the hard and arousing strokes that had destroyed my control. “Lorrin.”

He seemed to understand that his name was all I could manage at the moment because he was sliding up my body with his lips and hands, gentling my shivers and reminding me that this was something very new to me. When we were face to face again, he had tears in his eyes. I gathered my strength and pulled him closer, seeing his pain and scattering healing kisses across his face.

Rolling us over onto our sides, I pulled back far enough to see his eyes. “Thank you, Lorrin. Did it bring back bad old memories for you?”

He blinked hard a couple of times and nodded jerkily. “Memories certainly, not necessarily bad, Gloin. It has been two millennia since I touched another with love.”

It was my turn to blink. Two millennia? “I am willing to listen if you would like to share those memories.”

His eyes gazed into mine for a long moment before he nodded briefly. “I . . . am the last of the Varyan in Middle-earth. The others moved on but one had to be left behind to guard the Gate. I volunteered.”

“Everyone? They just left you here?” I was suddenly incensed at their callousness.

“I said yes when they asked.” A faint smile returned and his fingers caressed my lips. “My . . . bonded was killed in combat with . . . I have no words to describe the force that killed him. It used magic like a sword and killed ten of us before our circle entrapped it beneath a layer of magics strong enough to contain it.”

“Not destroyed, just contained?” I asked.

“Destroying came next. We took council of the Istari and devised a plan to disperse it to the elements. We had to release it though in order to get rid of it. Waiting had only made it stronger, the battle was hard fought and more of us died that day then had died in millennia. But it was finally destroyed. The wizards studied the remains and came to some frightening conclusions.”

He paused, lost in his memories and I cuddled him closer. “Conclusions about the . . . force, you called it. What did it look like?”

“It was some kind of shift-changer. There were only bits and pieces left at the end. But enough to determine that it was not from Middle-earth.” He paused when I gasped. “There is more to the world than just here, Gloin. In fact, there are many places that can be reached from here.”

I thought about that and realized something that had been bothering me. “When the Varyans left, they didn’t go to the Havens, did they?”

“No, they didn’t. The Havens are only one place to which the Elves retreat when the world grows too much. My people journeyed elsewhere.”

“Leaving you behind . . . why?” I was confused and didn’t mind admitting it.

“They were weary and tired of fighting so we constructed a gate of energy so to speak through which they journeyed. Someone had to stay behind to close the gate and I volunteered.” He sighed.

I scattered kisses over his sad face. “It’s selfish but I’m glad you did. I would have missed being your friend and Legolas might have died giving birth.”

He stilled, his eyes meeting mine. “I was tired, so very tired that I slept for a thousand years in the sacred center.” At my confused look, he smiled. “The crystal cave where we harvested the healing crystals. But once awakened, I found the world much changed. Angmar and his demons had come into the valley, practicing their dark magic. I watched and waited, seeing them fall to Sauron finally. Once they were gone I reinforced the four guardians and settled in to wait again.”

I had no words for how appalling I found that sad tale. “Again, I am glad that you stayed behind although I wish it hadn’t been so long before we came.”

“But you did come, Gloin, bringing your love and laughter back into my world. Are you sure you want to so complicate your life with a scarred old Elf like me?” 

“Yes,” I was sure about one thing and that was his place in my life. “We’ll take it slow and create some new memories to fill up those empty spaces in both our lives.”

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine. “Beloved Gloin, how very glad I am that your sons decided to come here. To finally be able to feel again is such a precious gift you’ve given me.”

I smiled and kissed him gently, taking the initiative for the first time in our loving. I had a lot to learn but I was going to enjoy every minute of it. And just maybe we’d erase some of those bad memories he still carried within him. The next few years were going to be very interesting.


	8. Chapter 8

Merry  
************ 

Pip just kept getting bigger in front and even his energetic self began to slow down. Getting out of low chairs became impossible and our picnics had ceased since he felt awkward when I had to help him up. Legolas took me aside and explained a few things about pride to me and Gimli talked to Pip about how much he’d enjoyed helping his bonded when it all grew to be too much.

We got the message and Pippin started letting me help more. I just made sure that I told him how much I loved him and showed him too. Rhea had already told us that the eighth month meant we had to stop making love except for gentle touching and kissing. I watched Pip like a hawk to make sure that he wasn’t uncomfortable with what we were doing. So far, we were fine.

But it was late August now and the heat was so oppressive that my poor love could usually be found in the lily pond or the cool waters of the river cove. We’d taken to going there right after dinner to watch Frodo teach Sam how to swim. Pip would hold Elanor while I held Bilbo and tried not to laugh at Sam. By the third lesson, I’d figured out that our devious friend was playing much more helpless than he really was.

He just liked having Frodo keep his arms around him while he floated in the gentle current. Then he’d sneak a kiss or two from his bonded before being dunked while we all laughed. Sometimes Gimli and Legolas would join us with their twins and we’d all get in the water to help teach the babies to swim. Pharin had taken to it at once and with her quiet babbling she seemed to encourage the other three.

Bilbo loved floating but Glimmer kept trying to use his arms to move closer to his sister. I think he was the next one to really understand what he was supposed to do in the water. Elanor didn’t like putting her face in so I’d have to say that until she was older, she probably wouldn’t be learning how to swim. That was fine for now but with all the water in Friendly, we were determined that everyone in our families would know how to keep themselves safe.

“Merry, may we go down to the cove tonight? This baby is trying to learn that kick that Lorrin taught us.” Pip rubbed the spot on the right side of the huge mound he carried in front of him. “Maybe floating will help.”

“Of course we can, love. I’d like nothing better right now except maybe holding you close.” I smiled at him and he grinned back.

“You can do both once we get there.” He batted his long black lashes at me and I chuckled.

“You’re always thinking ahead, Pip. I’m so lucky to have you.” I kissed him tenderly and watched him burst into tears.

“Oh,” he smiled wistfully, “you say the nicest things, Merry.”

“That’s because I love you, sweetheart and every word is true. What do you want to take to nibble on?” 

“Besides you?” His tears were gone and a sunny smile took their place. 

I’d watched Frodo and Legolas’ mood swings often enough that Pip’s didn’t disconcert me. “Yes, besides me, love, how about some of those delicious cherry tarts?” 

“Hm-m-m, that sounds good. Let’s take some of the sun tea that we made today, too. I get thirsty when we swim.” He drifted towards the kitchen and I could see his mind turning over the possibilities.

I was so lucky that he had decided on cooking for his trade. The better he got at it, the more I ate. Thank goodness I worked hard on the new houses and the furniture they needed. The guest house was coming along nicely. It had rooms for every kind of guest from Hobbits to Elves, Men and Dwarves. We even planned a space in the grounds surrounding it to accommodate an Ent or two.

Surreptitiously I made sure that when we left, Pip didn’t carry anything heavier than our towels. He wasn’t supposed to lift anything heavy and we all watched him carefully to make sure he didn’t. As the only pregnant person in Friendly at the moment, he had a lot of people watching out for ways to help him, but he was so sweet that he made it easy to do things for him. 

“I think I hear Gloin.” He said over his shoulder to me.

I listened and agreed. Gimli’s father had a deep laugh that resonated even more strongly when he was in the river. That meant Lorrin was here too and I had a couple of questions for him about Pip. Turning the last bend in the path, we saw them playing with each other in the shallows. Gloin wasn’t as agile as the elder Elf but his fingers seemed to know just where to tickle to bring out Lorrin’s laughter.

It was good to see them enjoying themselves and I could definitely see a difference in how they treated each other. We’d noticed the change almost a month ago and even though they didn’t do anything in public that they didn’t normally do, Pip had said that they were a couple. Gimli had been a little stiff for a while with the violet-eyed Elf but after a few days, he settled down and accepted the changes in his father’s life. Legolas smiled more now and I overheard him ask Lorrin not to give Gimli any little brother or sister.

That was the first time that I heard Lorrin laugh out loud.

“Hello, Pip and Merry, how are you this beautiful summer evening?” Gloin called.

“Hot, very hot,” Pip replied with a smile. “I want to sit in the shallows and let the river carry the heat away.”

Lorrin nodded, his eyes seeming to look inside my bonded. “That is a good idea, young Pippin. Come join us and I will check the baby’s position.”

We sat everything down on one of the granite benches and began to peel off our sticky clothes. Once we were naked we crossed over the sandy beach and into the cool water with a sigh of relief. Pip sat down about two feet in and a look of bliss crossed his face. He really did love the river but then I did, too.

I waded on out to Gloin while Lorrin knelt near Pip to gently lay hands on the mound that was our baby. I kept an eye on them while the Dwarf and I talked about the next part of our building. With the walls up and the roof on, it was time to start thinking about the interior fixings. Gimli had designed some beautiful marble fireplaces and he was going to work on them while Gloin created the bathroom fixtures. I wanted to make the doors and Cincall did too so we’d split them in half.

The Hobbit and Dwarf doors would be mine while he did the Elf and Man doors. I’d been sketching some designs for them and Gloin had some questions. The cherry wood inlays for the Hobbit doors in the form of a garden had sparked an idea he had about the marble tub surrounds. He was going to do some carving and maybe a little marble inlay work to match my door. 

“That sounds wonderful, Gloin. Maybe we could make all the decorations in each suite the same, from the wooden door to the carved bedposts to the bathroom fixtures.” I suddenly saw it all plain as day. “Then each room could have a name, like the Strawberry Rooms or the Mallorn Suite.”

He nodded. “I like that idea. We’ll get to be creative and nobody will wander into the wrong rooms by mistake. Perhaps Tilly and Matso could weave the fabrics for each room with the same themes?”

I nodded. “That will look wonderful and none of us will get bored carving, weaving or building. It would be nice if we had a pottery maker in Friendly. And someone to paint designs on the pottery.”

“Yes, that is something we’re missing.” He scratched his chin and I thought how much nicer he looked with the close cropped beard.

“Merry,” Pip was smiling happily and I waded back to them. “Lorrin thinks seven weeks more and he or she will be ready to be born.”

“That soon?” I hugged him close and looked at the elder Elf. “We’ll have to send word to the families so they can start making plans to come a little earlier.”

“Yes, there is a party heading south in two days.” Lorrin said quietly. “Cincall and Reason want to take some of their goods to Rivendell. Elrohir and Elladan are going along for protection.”

I nodded somberly. We knew that there was something not right about who got through to us and who didn’t. The King’s Messenger had said as much and we were all worried about Gandalf’s disappearance. I didn’t want anything to happen to our families either coming or going. It seemed so unfair that there was still some kind of menace at large in Middle-earth after Sauron had fallen.

“We’ll take every precaution to make sure that all of us are safe.” Gloin said gruffly. “Even if we have to go hunting for the culprit.”

Lorrin and Gloin exchanged a long look and I hid a grin at their changing expressions. I’d seen Sam look at Frodo just like that and I expect he’d seen the same look on my face a time or two. It was the ‘I-can’t-wait-to-get-you-alone’ look and I swear the temperature rose while we were still in the water.

“Ah, we’d better go back and check on,” Gloin faltered and from where I sat by Pip I could see through the clear blue water a slender elven foot tickle behind his knee. “Yes, time for a cup of tea. We’ll leave you to your soak.”

Lorrin looked like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth while he nodded agreement and began to wade to shore. “Tea would be most welcome, Gloin. I left something sweet at your house.”

Gloin muttered something that sounded suspiciously like ‘your sweet ass’ but he followed quickly. Pip was trying hard not to snicker out loud and I dunked my head into the river to hide my own grin. It was great fun watching the two of them slowly find their way in their new relationship. By the time I popped back up, they’d left half-dressed and Pip was giggling into his hand.

I moved to sit behind him so he had a back rest while he leaned against me. I stroked his stomach and felt the baby kick hard against my hand. We both stroked him quiet and he lazily hummed an old lullaby. I kissed his ear and closed my eyes. Seven weeks and I’d have my skinny Pip back - and a little boy or girl to cuddle close and sing to sleep. I could hardly wait.

**************   
Gloin  
************** 

I lay panting, trying to get enough air into my lungs. Lorrin was entirely too good at melting me into the sheets. Of course, I was learning quickly and I had plans to show him just how much I’d taken to heart. His silky hair was still teasing my inner thighs and I shivered at each brief caress. That wet tongue of his painted some arcane pattern on my deflated cock and if I hadn’t just come harder than I’d ever come before I might have begun to lift again.

“Lor’, stop that or my skin will fall off.” I sighed and stretched a hand down to stroke his hair.

“Nay, Gloin, you are much sturdier than that.” He dragged his tongue over my ball sack and my skin rippled around the tender globes that had just spent themselves.

“I’ll give you sturdy, my randy Elf.” I tugged on a dark lock and he let go of my balls, sliding up into my arms. Reversing our positions so I anchored his body to our bed, I feasted on his thin lips and scoured the taste of me from his warm mouth.

His lips smiled under mine and I felt my own curl up. The happiness we were creating between us just kept getting better. I felt alive in ways I’d never known before. All my senses seemed to have sharpened. My nose had a host of new scents to remember. Love making is messy but the smell of a bed where seed has been spilled was an aphrodisiac to me. Lorrin’s scent changed from day to day but underneath it all was a musk that was always stronger when we lay together.

But it was touching that brought me the most pleasure. His skin was like the cool marble that we mined from the mountains. Gimli had warned me that Elves felt the cold most cruelly. I’d taken that to heart ever since Lorrin had returned to me shaking with the chill from his flight. He said that I radiated heat so I took every chance I had to warm him up.

So far, that was working pretty well. Moving my lips from his tempting mouth, I kissed my way across his cheek and down the long neck to the hollow of his throat where I lapped a bead of salty sweat from his cool skin. His sigh was contented and I smiled, looking up to see his slit eyed pleasure. His hair was disordered and a flush bloomed across his cheeks.

I did enjoy gazing at him but especially at times like this when all the masks were gone and he was open to me. He hid a thousand secrets from his long life but he was slowly sharing parts of it and I was patient. I could wait to hear those stories since we were creating new and happier memories with every moment we loved.

“Gloin.” His hand stroked my cheek with a questioning touch.

“Just wool-gathering, Lorrin, I’m thinking about how good you smell and how sweet you taste.” I licked up another bead of sweat and savored the salty sweet flavor. “But I can feel something else I need to take care of.” I moved gently to one side and his cock sprang up to stand above his flat stomach. “Yes, indeed, a treat for all my senses. How kind of you to bring this tasty morsel to our bed.”

This time the flush started at his toes and raced up his whole body. Good, I liked surprising him with a compliment or two. It had been a long drought for him and I wanted to make sure that he had all he needed from me. It was my turn to tickle his thighs with my hair while I leisurely gloved the slender arrow that sprang up from the nest of dark curls at his groin.

I’d been afraid that my callused fingers would mar the tender skin of his cock but he’d soon disabused me of that notion, declaring that he’d never felt so strongly a beloved touch. That little statement returned to me now and then, filling me with pride and the desire to replace all his old memories with new ones of our love making. For some reason, I was feeling a touch possessive of my new lover.

That thought always made me smile but this time I hid it in a silent nibbling of his warm flesh, making sure that I didn’t nip too hard at the pulsating scrotum. His little whimper of need told me that he’d been hard almost too long and I licked a couple of sweet tears from his flaring crown. That brought me the sound of my name sighed longingly.

I liked that. I liked that a lot. I wanted to hear it in all its variations for the rest of my life. Sucking the tender flesh into my mouth, I held his hips down so he wouldn’t choke me when he lost control and thrust up. I was still learning this new skill but each time brought me a little more mastery of how to drive him mad with want, the way that he drove me to ever new heights of joyful surrender.

My tongue found the pulsing vein just under the crown that always sent a tingle through my whole body and I fluttered against it while he keened aloud and clawed the sheets instead of my hair. Chuckling, I did it again then hummed a little. The vibration swelled his cock to bursting and I drank down the sweet elixir that was his alone. Each pulse gave me more of his tasty seed and I gently suckled until he was limp.

“Gloin,” the satiated whisper was yet another variation of my name that made me smile and tenderly release him so I could crawl up to pull him into my arms. 

“Lorrin,” I kissed him gently and cradled his slight weight in my arms. If I was very lucky, I would have many long years with my friend. Thank goodness our line was partial to Elves and they were partial to us. Gimli and I had to be the luckiest two Dwarves in the history of Middle-earth. And we always would be.


	9. Chapter 9

Elrohir  
************ 

We’d been on the road for two days now and everything was quiet. Our group had grown to eight with the addition of two other Men and surprisingly, Gloin and Lorrin. I smiled to myself and cast a quick look at the newly created couple. The Dwarf drove one of the wagons after refusing to ride behind his lover on the dappled gray mare, which had appeared like magic just before we left.

It was fun seeing their love grow by leaps and bounds. The elder Dwarf had given Legolas his approval and love, which could only endear him to my twin and me. It was good to see the elder Varyan begin to participate in the community rather than slip in and out when he was needed.

Another five days would see us to the Last Bridge where we hoped to send the Shire letters by one of the messengers who were based in the small village that had grown up since the end of the war. It was a good central location and business was growing as parts of Middle-earth woke up to the changes that were still occurring. Once we finished that mission we were heading straight for Rivendell to try and find out what was going on in the world.

This noon had brought me a shivery feeling that I felt like a cold chill at the base of my neck and it wasn’t the weather. My eyes narrowed and I began to watch Lorrin more closely. The elder Elf practiced his self-effacement at all times but I had a feeling that he knew why it felt as if we’d passed through a barrier of some kind. A few moments later, I dropped back to ride along side of him.

“What was that, Lorrin?” I decided to just come right out with my question.

“There are magical wards in the four corners of the valley. The mountains, bogs and forests are not the only protection that we have.” He cast a quick glance at Gloin who was taking his turn at being the last wagon in our group, his neck scarf dampened and pulled over his nose to protect himself from the dry dust. “Most would not feel it but we passed through the energy curtain and are now unprotected from whatever is hunting our messengers.”

I nodded slowly. It made sense and reminded me of his great age that he could speak calmly of wielding magics so immense that they could protect hundreds of miles of territory. I was very thankful that he was on our side. Even the weather had cooled a bit with low hanging clouds stretching forth in all directions. We might yet end up wearing the cloaks we’d packed and cease to eat the dust from our travels.

****** 

Five days later, we had a pint of beer at the local village and saw the messages for the Shire sent off with a pair of Hobbits who were well armed. Rumors had reached that gentle land of the disappearances of some of the caravans who had previously brought goods from surrounding lands to this village by the bridge. Now, everyone traveled with a companion for safety’s sake.

But the stories were simply variations on ones we’d heard before so we took them with a grain of salt and continued on towards Rivendell. I must admit that our pace did quicken the closer we came to our birthplace. Elladan was worried about Arwen and our new nephew. Hopefully, Father had returned and could give us more details than just his name. 

And I must admit that I craved a comfortable room with a door to guard our privacy. We’d gotten much too used to the easy life and the ability to make love whenever we wished. Hasty kisses between shifts at midnight were the sum total of our loving and I know how much I chaffed at the lack. But once past the Ford of Bruinen, it was just a day’s journey even slowed by the wagons.

The road was well tended and we saw the occasional evidence that others had come and gone in the now muddy road. Our supplies were almost gone but I knew that tonight we’d be eating the inspired cooking of Father’s chef, Marjella. The sentries greeted us with smiles and sent word on ahead that we were coming. Gloin sent us on with a joke about seeing that the water was hot for our baths.

So Elladan and I raced ahead down the paths that we’d known since we were children. Father was waiting for us at the stables and we threw ourselves off our mounts to envelop him in hugs. He complained that we were squeezing the breath out of him but his arms held us close when we would have let him loose. His kisses were still warm on our cheeks when his dark eyes looked us over carefully.

“Who else travels with you?” He asked. “Leave your horses and come with me now. There is so much news to share. How did you leave dear Legolas and Gimli? Their twins must be growing quickly.”

We spoke of all who remained in Friendly. Relaxing on the broad terrace with chilled wine in one hand and some of the deep purple grapes, which only grew in Rivendell, in the other, we gave him all our news and demanded his. He had sketches of Arwen and our nephew, Eldarion. While leafing through them, the others of our group appeared and Father greeted them genially with a special welcome for the elder Lorrin.

Two of the trunks were filled with scrolls transcribed and copied from the Varyan originals and Father was speechless at the wealth of knowledge presented to him. Lorrin relaxed once he saw his reaction and the little smile with which he greeted good news flitted across his face. We went into an early dinner with more conversation and it was delicious.

At last, satiated with good food and wine, we said our goodnights and showed the others the guest rooms before seeking the suite of rooms that had been ours since we were small. The things we’d left behind still hung on the walls and lined the bookshelves in the study where Glorfindel had taught us our lessons. I walked through the three rooms, making sure that we were completely alone while El’ started the water running in the sunken tub of our bathroom.

The beds were already turned down and I suddenly hungered for the comfort of a soft mattress and silken sheets. I’d grown lax indeed but couldn’t bring myself to care. Starting my unbuttoning, I paced silently back to the bathroom to find my twin already naked and in the swiftly filling tub. His favorite musk oil scented the air and his gaze turned sultry when he saw me.

“Come and let me wash your back, beloved.” His voice was husky and I shivered while stripping off my clothes and leaving them in a heap on the floor by the tub.

I sank into his embrace and took his lips with all the passion with which I was able. Home, his lips tasted of home to me. The spices from dinner, the sweet wine we’d drunk combined with his own delicious taste were all finally mine to plunder. His long, lean limbs were wrapped around me so we were touching everywhere and even in the buoyant water his solid weight anchored me.

His hands soothed the tension away from my neck and left tingles where ever they touched me. The strands of his hair were a curtain around me so I was surrounded by him everywhere. My own hands traced the muscles in his back down to the firm globes of his ass and I cupped them while he groaned into my mouth. I pulled just far enough away to look into his glowing face.

“Beloved Elladan, let’s wash first so I can take you to bed and do this properly.”

“Beloved Elrohir, how are the mighty fallen.” He shook his head with a look of mock disappointment on his face. “Where is the mighty hunter who scorned so much as a blanket on a cold winter night? Alas, you’ve grown soft and decadent this last year.”

I growled and began to tickle him. “I’ll show you soft, Twin.”

He snorted with laughter and tried to escape my teasing fingers. The water surged around us and I gave a brief thought to how much we’d be mopping up later. But that was for much later, now was for enjoying our first hot bath in several weeks and making love in comfort until we were both too tired to move.

*********   
Lorrin  
********* 

I could feel great distress emanating from the dark Elf on the balcony. Gloin was still talking with the elderly Hobbit, Bilbo about his honorary grandchildren and I’d excused myself so I could get some fresh air. Lord Elrond was radiating shock in all directions. I wrestled with my shyness but finally knew that I had to at least offer to help. 

“Lord Elrond, is there something wrong?” I stopped two feet from him and leaned against the carved marble railing.

His eyes were wide and dilated to black. “Elder Lorrin . . . n-no, I am fine.”

“I think not, my lord.” I looked a little harder at his aura and discovered the gray area around family. Oh dear, he’d obviously seen something about his sons. “Elrohir and Elladan.”

“I . . . went to say goodnight.” He gasped and his grip on the railing was so tight that his knuckles had turned white. “I . . . saw them . . . bathing.”

“Then you now know why they have turned down all your matchmaking attempts.” I slid a little closer to him and laid a gentle hand on his. Shock but also something more. My energy levels were high at the moment so I surreptitiously began to feed him the necessary calm that he needed so desperately. “Will you disinherit them because of this?”

“What?” His head came up with a start. “Of course not, Elder, they are my sons.”

“Good, there has been too much repudiation of family going on.” I gauged his reaction to that statement and saw a healthy rose color return to his aura. He made the connection to Thranduil and his son at once, denying that possibility with all his heart. I finally puzzled out the second emotion – guilt. “You’re feeling guilty but I can see no reason.”

The great lord blushed like a young Elf in love. “I fear that I . . . I may have been a bad example for them. When my wife left for the Havens, I turned to a friend to help ease the pain.”

“Glorfindel,” I said quietly. Their auras weren’t identical but I’d noticed how they meshed into one whenever they stood together. Over Elrond’s shoulder I saw the golden haired Elf hovering in the doorway, so I raised my voice. “Come, my friend. Your lord has need of your comfort.”

He was by our side in a heartbeat and I watched him ache to hold his lover. “Elrond, what is wrong?”

Troubled eyes sought his. “I fear that my sons . . . my sons . . .”

He couldn’t continue and Glorfindel unhesitatingly slid his arms around him, bringing his head to his shoulder. “Elrohir and Elladan are together in all things. They have loved each other for a very long time.”

The dark lord froze and slowly raised his head. “You knew and told me not?”

Honest eyes met his unflinchingly. “I guessed when Elladan came to me asking about how occasional pain can enhance lovemaking.”

Elrond blushed for the second time that evening and it took all my years of experience not to laugh out loud. It seemed that the need for erotic love play could be passed from father to son all unknowingly. An entire conversation passed between the two of them with just one long look. Both their auras began to shade to the indigo blue of passion and I suppressed another smile. 

“My lords, if you will excuse me? I believe that I will seek Gloin and retire for the evening.” I bowed to them and they bowed back.

“Thank you, Elder.” Elrond was back in control. “Thank you for your understanding and your friendship with my sons.”

I smiled. “They are easy to befriend, my lord. I am glad that they came to live in our valley. Just remember that they love you very much. If you can acknowledge their choices with love, they will be very happy indeed.”

He nodded firmly. “It shall be so, Elder. Good night.”

Glorfindel echoed his good night and I left them to retrace my steps to Bilbo’s rooms. But before I could get there Gloin found me. We walked back to the guest suite we’d been given in a companionable silence. Once there we stripped and ran a hot bath to soak away the long trip. Taking turns, we bathed each other at first briskly then slowly, soapy hands lingering here and there.

Loving touches that I sincerely hoped Glorfindel and his lord were sharing. I’d keep watch over the next few days to make sure that all was well between the four of them. But for now, I intended to love my Dwarf right into the sinfully soft sheets on the large bed in the other room.

“Lorrin?” Gloin noticed my distraction and his hands rested lightly on my shoulders.

“I think that we’re both clean enough, my friend.” I leaned forward and kissed him hard.

His lips parted beneath mine and a growling laugh passed from his mouth to me. Those callused hands stroked my back, leaving tingles in their wake. When we had to breathe, he chuckled. “I believe you’re right, my friend. I’m looking forward to a good sleep.”

“Sleep?” I shook my head and pulled away to step out of the tub. “I don’t believe I said anything about sleep, Gloin. I was thinking of taking some of this finely scented oil to bed with us so I could massage your aching muscles.”

“Really? I think that sounds like a fine idea.” He surged up and out of the tub, grabbing a towel and beginning to dry his sturdy body.

My fingers itched to comb through the black and silver curls on his chest but that would come later. I toweled off and took the oil with me into the silver and blue bedroom. The four pillars of the bed rose like silvery mallorn trunks, the canopy a tented midnight blue sky that spilled over the four corners and onto the marble tiles of the floor. The sheets were already pulled back invitingly in the soft light of a bedside table lamp.

I sprawled on the bed and felt at peace for the first time since we’d begun this journey. The trip had taken its toll on me. I hadn’t left the valley in centuries and the constant bombardment of unchecked emotions had begun to drain my energy. Gloin was the reason that I’d survived as well as I had. He was rooted so deeply in the earth that an hour in his arms each night was enough to keep me going.

Rivendell’s calm but powerful energy had done quite a bit to replenish the reserves lost to me. I should have realized that Elrond held Vilya, the blue stone blazing on his finger like a beacon. Such power at his command and yet I could tell that he didn’t realize all that could be done with it. I would have to think long and hard about educating him. Was it my place to show him things that might be beyond his imaginings?

“Beautiful Lorrin, I can feel your thoughts from here. Perhaps I should be the one to massage you?” Gloin had joined me on the bed and a firm hand rested gently on my chest.

“I am sorry, my love.” I slid closer to his heat and took a deep breath of his musky scent. “My thoughts will be all the better for sleeping on them. And while I would enjoy your hands, I think I will be selfish and take care of you first.”

“Selfish?” He snorted and smiled. “You couldn’t be selfish if you tried, but I would enjoy your hands.” He picked up one and kissed each finger carefully, sending a shiver down my spine. “And where will you place them?”

“Everywhere, Gloin. I plan on placing them everywhere.” I pushed him onto his back and lay on the wiry curls of his chest. Kissing him while I teased his skin with an almost too light touch, I felt the evidence of his passion begin to rise between my legs. Shivering, I let my legs fall to either side of his hips while our groins matched each other.

I’d wanted him inside of me for months and tonight would be the perfect time to make that desire a reality. Oiling my hands, I carefully massaged his arms until he was groaning with pleasure. Keeping two horses pulling a heavy wagon through the muddy roads had strained the muscles of his entire upper body. I could see the tense ligaments begin to slowly relax like dark spots that slowly turned as white as his skin.

More importantly I could feel his shaft nudge my balls. Trailing my hands down his chest, I tweaked his nipples hard while he caught his breath. His dark eyes turned sultry and hot with the passion that bubbled inside of him. I really was a very lucky Elf that this stalwart Dwarf should find me so arousing.

I continued his massage, taking a moment to slide my slippery hands around his thick organ until he was glistening. A tiny bead of fluid brought my lips to his crown and I lapped the tear free, savoring his salty taste. But then I left him and slid down to his feet, working my way up his short legs and back to his groin. The now bobbing cock was weeping more brine but I took a moment to gently mouth the three balls that dangled in the sac between his legs.

He was steadily groaning my name and I took a quick look to make sure his eyes were closed. Taking a deep breath, I silently opened myself with a pair of slick fingers before sliding further up his body. Gimli had inherited his girth and size from his father, if my eye could be relied upon. I’d rather envied my Prince for his consort’s shaft but now I would envy no more.

Leisurely I slid both hands around him and up then down. He was hard as iron and beginning to pant when I shifted over him and guided him home to within my depths. There was some pain since it had been centuries since I’d last taken someone like this. And he was undoubtedly larger than any I’d ever accommodated. But not even the pain could make me stop sliding him deep.

“Lorrin!” His eyes were wild but also hesitant. “Are you all right?”

“Better than all right, my love. You feel wonderful.” I sighed and smiled down at him. “Thank you, Gloin. I’ve wanted this for months now.”

“I’m not . . . hurting you?” His hands rested on my thighs and made little soothing circles on my sensitive skin. “You’re so tight and hot.”

“And you are so nice and thick that I’m stretched wide with your mighty shaft.” I used my thighs to raise up a bit before sitting back down. “Oh Gods, that feels so good.”

He was panting but his hips were thrusting up. “Yes, it does. What should I do?”

“Just that, my love.” I helped him feel the rhythm that we both needed and prepared for a long bout of riding. This was just the beginning of the treats I had in store for him. It had been a long trip and I wasn’t letting him out of this bed until we were both too sore to make love again. A week should just about do it, I thought with a smile.

He smiled back and began to glove my cock with his work roughened fingers. Yes, we were going to be sequestered for some time to come.


	10. Chapter 10

Sam  
**************** 

I finished harvesting the last of the raspberries and rubbed my back hard when I unbent. Frodo had been helping until the babies began to fuss and he’d taken them home. Merry was a few canes over and it looked like he was done, too. Pip was home resting with his mother watching over him. Their parents had arrived three days ago and I know that Merry was relieved to have more Pip-watchers.

Lorrin and Gloin had been gone for three weeks and I could tell that Merry was fretting that they wouldn’t get home in time to help Pip deliver their baby safely. Rhea had reassured them both that even if Lorrin wasn’t there, he and Miriel could deliver the baby just as well. Still, I knew how they were feeling. The memory of Frodo hurting was one that I would never forget.

But we had a month or so until his due date and the weather was that nice that it was a positive pleasure to work in the garden. Still and all, I was right glad to have the berry picking done for now. Jallico had some wonderful recipes for raspberry jam, raspberry fool and raspberry custard. I could hardly wait to taste his jam on some fresh baked bread. 

“Thank goodness that’s done.” Merry stood up and stretched. “I’m going to need a back rub tonight. I’ve got aching muscles where I didn’t even know I had muscles.”

“Yep, me too, Merry.” I put the last bucket in the wheelbarrow and started wheeling it down the path. He fell into step beside me, ready to take a turn if need be.

“I think the hot springs would be the perfect end to a perfect day.” He reminded me that it had been a while since we’d soaked anywhere but the river and the lily pond.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll see if I can talk Frodo into it.” I smiled when I thought of my love. He was so good with the babies for someone who’d never had much to do with children before. He read to them everyday and sang little songs that Bilbo had taught him when he was a child. 

I could see them growing up right before my eyes. They were crawling everywhere and we were almost at wit’s end trying to think of a way to keep them out of danger when Gimli came up with a grand idea. He fashioned a metal mesh grate that we could attach to the door of their room so they couldn’t get out. Pretty soon, we had one on the front door and another on the kitchen door and even one on the bathroom door. 

He’d made some for his house too since Pharin and Glimmer had finally figured out how to crawl. Merry was already making up something like a wooden criss-cross gate for their doors. He was looking ahead already. He whistled while we walked and I hid a smile at his lighthearted air. It was odd but we’d become fast friends and I’d never thought that would happen back when I was just Sam Gamgee, hobbit-of-all-work.

We delivered the raspberries to Jallico and his helper, Suzana. She was Weaver Matso’s second oldest daughter and was now his official apprentice since she turned sixteen. That seemed kind of young to me but then Men aged faster than Hobbits so I guess it was all right. Her mother watched out for her and Jallico did, too. She’d come to no harm from working hard and learning a good trade.

Saying goodbye to Merry, I wheeled the cart up to the back door of our home and upended it, in case it rained unexpectedly. Wiping my feet before coming into the back hall, I wiped my forehead with my handkerchief. The day had been hot and not even the shade of the old oak trees had kept me from working up a good sweat.

“Frodo, I’m home.” I called out and heard him call back from what sounded like the bathroom. That meant he had a bath ready for me and I hurried to join him. I had my shirt unbuttoned and off by the time I came through the new gate on the door. He and the babies were already in the tub splashing.

“Goodness, Sam, you are dirty. Come in and let me wash you.” He said laughingly while keeping an eye on the twins, who were sitting between his legs.

“Da-da-da-da-da,” Elanor spotted me and started babbling.

“Hello, sweetheart, are you going to help me take a bath?” I shimmied out of my pants and threw them into the basket by the door.

Splash! She stood up and sat right back down again. Bilbo thought that was pretty funny so he did it, too. Frodo was laughing and so were the twins when I joined them in the hot water. Baths were a lot of fun since the babies had arrived. Although, I did kind of miss the ones where we made love. When they were older, maybe we’d be able to have those baths again.

“Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma,” Bilbo patted Frodo’s leg and smiled up at him.

“What is it, sweetling?” My bonded asked him and Bilbo climbed up into his lap to latch onto a nipple. Frodo chuckled and picked him up so he could cradle him and nurse him more comfortably.

Elanor saw what her brother was doing and crawled into my lap to nurse on me. That didn’t work, of course and she frowned up at me. “Sorry, sweetheart, your Da’ doesn’t have the right taste, does he? You’ll have to wait your turn for dinner.”

Frodo laughed out loud. “Wash her now, Sam, and then I’ll trade you.”

I soaped her all over, tickling her and singing one of the old songs that my mother had sung to me. She clapped her hands in time with the words and kind of sang along with me in baby-talk in between squeals of laughter. Maybe I was prejudiced, but she seemed to be the happiest baby I’d ever known. Bilbo was a quieter baby and I caught him staring at things with a real intent look on his face.

It was the same look that Frodo got when he was translating a new scroll. I thought that maybe we were raising another scholar like him. Maybe our next son would follow me into the garden, I decided before scooting Elanor over to my love and taking Bilbo to wash. Or maybe, our daughter would like gardening? That was a new thought for me and while I washed Bilbo, I wondered for the first time what the future might hold for our children.

They were the only Hobbit children within hundreds of miles. Would they miss out on friends and lovers? We weren’t like any other Hobbit family either. I must have been frowning because Bilbo’s little hand patted my lips. When I looked down, he was smiling sweetly up at me while murmuring, “Da, Da, Da.”

“Sam?” Frodo was looking at me with a real puzzled look.

“Sorry, love, I had an odd thought. What are the twins going to do for friends and lovers when they grow up?” 

“Oh Sam, they have friends now in Glimmer and Pharin. The new Hobbit who’s born in the next few weeks will be one, too. Salurr and Cincall, once they’re married, will have babies to play with ours. The world is changing and we’re changing with it. I won’t say don’t worry since I expect we’ll do our fair share of that when the twins get older.” He smiled lovingly at me. “But we love them and that will keep them safe until they make up their minds about lovers.”

I laughed sheepishly. “You’re right, Frodo. I just had a . . . I don’t know what to call it. Bilbo is going to be a scholar like you, I think. There’s never been a female gardener in the Shire but I wonder if Elanor will be the first one here.”

He chuckled and lifted her out of the tub and onto the towel. “Whatever Elanor decides to be, we’ll support her choice. I have a feeling that the children of Friendly are going to be something new in Middle-earth, too.”

I quick rinsed off Bilbo and set him beside his sister. Then I grabbed the soap first and started washing Frodo with a gleam in my eye. Now it was our turn to get clean.

*****************   
Gimli  
***************** 

I missed my father. I’d begun missing him almost immediately once he’d left. From being an adult Dwarf out in the world and making my own way to a son wishing his father would just come home took about a day. Five weeks had gone by and it felt like five years. I finished washing up with a faint air of melancholy that I tried to shake off before going in to see my love and our children.

But one look and Legolas knew exactly what I was feeling. Opening his arms to me, he gathered me in and hugged me close. I hugged him back and took a deep breath of Legolas-scented air. That is a scent that will always make me feel better and today was no exception. His lips were soft on mine and his tongue stroked into my mouth, entwining with my own.

Finally he pulled away and looked at me with satisfaction. “The twins are going to stay with Frodo and Sam this evening while we go to the little hot springs. I have Arod loaded with supplies and we can be there in fifteen minutes.”

“Good, let’s go.” It was just what I needed and I blessed him for his farsightedness.

Hand in hand, we walked to the stables. It felt like old times with Legolas leaping gracefully into the saddle and me mounting from a big rock with a little pull up from him. I’d never be a rider but Arod’s gait was comfortable and I got to hug my Elf close. I could still remember what a guilty pleasure that had been when we were on our quest.

When we reached the springs, I slid from Arod and patted him in thanks for bearing me. He sneezed once before moving off to graze on the tender grasses sprinkled between the tall trees. Catching up with Legolas, I took my share of the saddlebags and followed him through the bushes that were beginning to turn golden in reminder of the autumn that was upon us.

We undressed silently and sank into the springs with sighs of relief. Papa had built two benches, one for short folk and one for tall. Legolas sat down and gestured to me to join him. Clasping his hand in mine, he brought it to his lips and nibbled all my fingers while I slowly hardened in the warm mineral water. Reaching up, I pulled off the leather tie that bound his hair in its braid and began combing my fingers through the golden silk.

“Hm-m-m, that feels good, beloved.” He sighed before sucking my index finger into his mouth and laving it with his tongue.

Hard as iron was what I suddenly was and I moaned just a little when he nipped my finger. I was hotter than the water and every bubble felt like a caress. “Out, my love, right now.”

He chuckled and pulled me to my feet where I kissed the faint scar left by the crystal when he gave birth. It had become a tradition for me since it reminded me of all he’d gone through to bring forth our children. It was a badge of honor, greater than any wound of war and the mark of a true hero, a hero who gave life rather than death. I’d be sure to tell the twins of his bravery the moment they could comprehend the words.

“What has you so solemn, love?” A graceful hand drew me from the bubbles and over to the blanket. “You miss Papa, don’t you?”

Nodding, I sat down and opened the nearest saddlebag. “I am too old to miss him and yet I do. I grew used to seeing him everyday, talking to him, asking his advice or just being with him while we worked in the mountain.”

“I hope that you are never too old to miss him, Gimli.” He gently scolded me and opened a bottle of wine from Rivendell. “He is our beloved Papa and will be with us for a very long time. I only hope that Glimmer and Pharin feel the same way about us when they become adults and leave our home for their own.”

I froze at the terrible thought, our babies, grown and off to live their own lives without us. “That will not be for some time, Legolas. Many, many years from now, I may let them out into the world.”

He smiled knowingly and handed me the crystalline flute of deep red wine. “Two hundred years from now should be about right? Yes, my love?”

I sipped the sweet wine and pretended to think about it. “That may be rushing it a bit, my heart, perhaps five hundred years.”

Laughing, he toasted the future. “May we be as happy then as we are right now, my bonded.”

“Even happier, my bonded.” Our glasses rang together like the purest of dwarven bells.

We fed each other our dinner, bite by bite until dessert found us on our sides, licking the chocolate mousse from each other’s body. The combination of Legolas and chocolate was a heady aphrodisiac that affected me more than the wine. I felt drunk on his sweet taste, the more I had the more I wanted. His arrowlike cock poured forth his essence into my keeping after almost an hour of being kept on the knife’s edge of pleasure.

And with a sigh, he took me into his body, laid out beneath me like a nymph of the deep forest. He clasped me tight until I could feel his heart through my cock. It is always the moment when I look at him in wonder that he should want me out of all the peoples of Middle-earth. But his smile told me of his love, that and the fingers that tangled in the dense curls of my chest, searching out my nipples to tweak them.

Our rhythm was slow, almost languid until the need grew within us both. His heat rivaled the springs, the muscles that gloved me more powerful than the earth tremors that shook the valley periodically. My gaze never left his, until my vision shrank to the blanket on which we lay and there was only the two of us to populate the whole world.

With a hoarse cry, I stilled within him and spilled my seed deep. He sighed once and pulsed white pearls onto his stomach and mine. My arms had no more strength and I fell forward into strong arms that held me close. Slowly, the sounds of the forest returned. The haunting call of the whipper-will sounded overhead and the springs bubbled beside us. I sucked on the nipple beneath my cheek and tasted his sweet milk.

His hands lazily combed through my hair and I could have fallen asleep right there. But we had babies to collect and within the hour, we had Arod back in the stables and were walking back to Frodo and Sam’s house. However, once there the note on the door sent us hurrying to the clinic.

‘Pip’s in labor’, was all it said.

And Lorrin and Papa had not yet returned.


	11. Chapter 11

Elrond  
**************** 

This was worse than a four day battle.

The searing pain hurt more than any wound I’d ever taken.

It felt like my mind would be wrenched from my body and sent spiraling into the dark.

First it was a small whimper.

That was followed by a hollow groan.

Briefly, I wondered if I was going to howl like a rabid Warg.

But I was spared that humiliation. Instead I began to pant like a woman in labor, sparing a thought for my cousin Legolas who had also had to give birth to something new.

“Enough, my lord, breathe slowly.” The elder’s voice seemed to come from far away but the bonfire was subsiding into coals and that was a blessed relief.

Strong arms held me and the faint scent of familiar musk told me that Glorfindel was my current prop. The marble floor wasn’t where I’d been when this whole lesson started but the cool stone felt good after the scourging heat of energy that had filled me to the brim. The Varyan Elder had told me that I wasn’t using Vilya to its full capacity.

He was right if the torrent of fire that swept through my entire body was to be believed.

I certainly wasn’t going to call him a liar.

“My lord, let Glorfindel ease the pain.” A cool hand stroked my cheek and I managed to force my eyes open. “Sleep on it and rise to face the next part in the morning.”

“Next part?” Was that husky rasp my voice?

He chuckled and patted my arm. “Now that you’ve been opened to the power surrounding you, you need to acknowledge it and send your senses out into Rivendell. I think that Mithrandir never completely left this vale. You should be able to find him. But for now, rest and eat heartily.”

I was suddenly starved and knew with a blush that Glorfindel and Lorrin had both heard my stomach growl. My lover chuckled and dropped a kiss onto my sweat soaked hair. “I shall feed you myself then carry you to our bath for a good soak.”

“Excellent idea, Glorfindel. He will need your care tonight.” Somehow, with only the raise of an eyebrow, he conveyed an entire roster of things we should do.

Top of my list was getting fucked and soon. Also often, I decided while being pulled to my feet and steadied by the strong arms of my lover. Luckily, we were on my private balcony and the smell of roast chicken from my study wafted straight to my salivating mouth. My Elven crutch was laughing at me. I knew it but didn’t care.

“Father, are you all right?” One of my sons sprang up from the comfortable chair behind my desk.

I focused slowly while Glorfindel gently lowered me onto the bench that served as seating around the table where my maps usually lay. I managed his name. “Elrohir.”

“What do you need?” He knelt beside me and took my hand in his warm grip. “Your skin feels like ice. What did Lorrin do to you?”

“What I needed to do, young man.” The elder’s tones were dry. “You can help by drawing his bath for him and keeping everyone else away. Glorfindel will see to his other needs.”

I blushed at the same moment Elrohir did. I could feel ‘Del laughing silently from behind me and I made a mental note to extract my vengeance later. Well, after he fucked me through the feather bed, of course. My son made some kind of strangled sound before leaping to his feet and escaping into my bedroom. I might have been more embarrassed if I hadn’t come to terms with my sons’ secret.

Once this whole opening-up-to-the-power-of-my-ring endeavor was over, I was going to sit them down and have a long talk with the pair of them. A morsel of plump chicken teased my lips and I swallowed it whole, nipping at the slender fingers that held it.

“Until tomorrow, my lord.” Lorrin’s voice came to me just before the outer door closed.

I forced my eyes open again in time to meet my lover’s concerned gaze. “I’ll be fine, my love. The weakness is passing moment by moment. I need you almost more than I need this meal.”

“Then you shall have me, beloved.” His voice was the merest whisper but it was better than any shout for it told me that I would be loved tonight. He went back to feeding me until I was able to sit up by myself and wield my own fork and knife. Disappearing for a few moments, he soon rejoined me.

“It’s ready, Father. Is there anything else you need?” Elrohir knelt by my side and I stopped eating to give him a hug. My children could still surprise me and I was a very lucky Elf to have such a caring son.

“I will be fine for now. ‘Del will help me bathe and tuck me into bed. Tomorrow, we’ll see what new torture Lorrin has planned.” I cupped his cheek and kissed his forehead. “Thank you for being here. Now, go and join your brother for your own dinner.”

“Yes, Father.” He leapt up and was gone before I could blink an eye. Children were so impetuous these days.

I went on eating, feeling the lingering chill left by the scalding energies slowly subside. I’d thought that I knew the differences in the four elements and how to use them but Lorrin had showed me an entire world of power unknown and seemingly limitless. The ring on my finger pulsed with azure light and already, I saw objects more clearly. Not the man-made ones but the living life forms that surrounded us were all singing to me.

The water from the tub called to me and when I looked up to see ‘Del gazing at me from the doorway, I finished the last bite of glazed carrot and rose to join him. His arms welcomed me home and we crossed silently to the blue and gold tiled bathroom. The water steamed before me and my lover stripped me quickly. His clothing was easily shed and we walked down into the scented depths of the tub together.

A slight fizz in the water danced over my skin and I chuckled while sinking to the bottom of the small pool. The urge to love was growing stronger and when strong hands pulled me up and began to wash my hair, I sighed and let him pamper me. The sooner I was clean, the sooner he’d fuck me. His fingers massaged my scalp until I was purring then he rinsed me off and began soaping my body. But two could play with the soap and I turned to watch the bubbles from my soapy hands slide over his golden skin.

He caught his breath and my massage grew more heated. His knowing fingers found every hot spot I had and stroked my suddenly too tight skin with the skill that comes from centuries of lovemaking. I was gasping by the time he laid me back against the sloping back, palming my cheeks apart and sliding in until he could go no further.

Was it the ring or the new lessons or perhaps it was just time to grow a little more? I felt him like a bright flame surging into the heart of me. I was the water that surrounded us, the steam we breathed in slowly, the marble that cradled me. I was myself and also him in the same moment.

“Elbereth,” his sigh was mine.

“Make me whole, ‘Del, the way that only you can.” My fingers slid slowly up the scarred chest that I knew as well as my own. His skin was satin interrupted by twisted scar tissue that had never completely healed so long ago.

“Beloved,” his breath became mine when he kissed me. Slowly, he began the familiar dance of flesh, pulling out then thrusting back in.

I wrapped my legs around his waist and smoothed my hands up to his broad shoulders, holding on as his pace quickened. My skin was the only thing holding me together, that and the sword of flesh that was striking into my heart. Dimly, I could see what Lorrin had meant about casting my spirit into the land. Part of me was already seeping out into the rooms around us and the gardens further out.

But right now, my lover was anchoring me to this room, this moment. I let the other go and concentrated on him. His long blond hair tickled my neck while his warm lips mapped my face with slow fervor. The growing need to come was shortening my breath and tightening my muscles. The upward spiral was speeding through me like a flash flood and his thrusts were quickening until I ceased to be Elrond.

We were one, Glorfindel-Elrond.

At that moment, I felt every soul in Rivendell become a part of me. The bright light they made blinded me, their voices deafened me with a clap of almost thunder. I erupted like Mount Doom and felt as if I’d touched the stars before falling into blessed darkness.

***** 

I awoke refreshed as if I’d slept for a hundred years. Warm arms cradled me and the slow heartbeat behind me thudded reassuringly. Glorfindel was wrapped around me like a blanket and I hugged his arms to me. I loved sleeping like this, held safe in my lover’s arms. On those days when the responsibilities grew heavier than I could bear, he would wrap me in his loving care and take away the burden as if it had never been.

I had to be the luckiest Elf in Middle-earth to be so loved. I took a deep breath then another before testing my newly learned powers. Opening my inner eye took a bare moment rather than the three hours it had taken the first time. I widened the range to include the next room, then the hall, slowly but surely encompassing more of the palace until I was beginning to strain a bit.

Backing off, I realized that I knew where everyone was and who they were to boot. I knew what the kitchens were cooking for our mid-day meal; which fruits were beginning to ripen on the trees; where water was needed and which irrigation pipes would get the water there. Concentrating a little more, I sensed who was where in the palace and with a further effort, I knew that I’d be able to tell what they were doing.

That’s when I stopped cold and opened my real eyes. The privacy of my people was more important than my need to explore this new ability. Glancing down at Vilya, I saw the bright azure fade to its normal blue. Interesting, the stone outwardly reflected what my inner actions were. I’d have to ask Lorrin if that was visible to others or if it was my perception only. 

I’d have to start wearing it around my neck, the way he wore his, if that was the case. I disliked showing my hand when it wasn’t necessary. Yesterday, I’d been so tired that I’d thought I’d have to rest for a week. But now, I felt filled to the brim with energy. Perhaps waking Glorfindel for some fun was on the agenda, I thought with a smile that would have made him laugh out loud if he’d seen it.

“Beloved Elrond, you’re plotting mischief.” His voice was sleep-roughened but his lips were sure when they nibbled behind my ear.

Turning slowly in his arms, I took his lips with early morning languor. He tasted the way he usually did, only richer and I sucked on his tongue the way a babe sucks on his mother’s breast. I’d known him in every way for centuries, yet each day seemed to bring me something new. A look or taste or touch that we’d never shared before.

Parting from him softly, I watched his eyes flutter open. Those shining blue eyes were more beautiful to me than any others, although I’d always thought that young Legolas had much the same shade. That gaze knew me, the good and bad of me, the way that no other ever had.

“We’re having Norn fruit just ripened for our next meal and fresh venison from a deer shot this morning by Elladan.” I informed him smugly. “And for some reason, someone is making that chocolate crumble cake that Gloin introduced us to.”

“Someone must love me, then.” He said just as smugly back.

“I love you.” I told him, pleased to be the first today to say it.

“Beloved, I love you, too.” He rested his forehead against mine. “Your control is improved.”

Nodding, I checked again to make sure that my inner eye was still quiescent. “It must have continued to grow while I slept. I only checked it as far as the palace proper. I’ll want to have Lorrin evaluate it first before I go further. It is almost frightening how much detail I can gather when I focus. I think that it will be a very few who need to know what I can and can not do with Vilya’s aid.”

“You would never go beyond the pale, my love. Your sense of justice is well developed. I have known that forever.” He said calmly.

“How can you say that, ‘Del? I’m as fallible as the next Elf.”

“Not when it matters, Elrond, you would never use such a power to spy on another.”

I pulled him closer. “Keep reminding me of that, beloved. You are my conscious, the ruler by which I measure my actions.”

“Always,” he kissed me gently and I would have deepened it but I could feel the bright amethyst light that was Lorrin nearing the outer room.

Pulling regretfully away, I sighed. “Lorrin approaches and so does our next meal.”

Right on cue, our stomachs growled in unison. Laughing, we rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom to make ourselves presentable for our guests. By the time we entered the study, the table was filled with food and Lorrin, Gloin and my sons were waiting for us.

Gloin was a delight and I gazed at the gruff Dwarf to whom I owed so much. There was something about his branch that drew Elves like a magnet. Sweet Legolas deserved nothing less than total love and commitment from his family. Thranduil really was a fool to disinherit his youngest son. One day he would realize what he’d done and I was just petty enough to hope that I was there to see it.

Not very nice of me but a heartfelt wish just the same. I looked around the table and smiled at the men I was lucky to call friend. Why had we all thought that the Elves would fade away once the Ring was unmade? Lorrin was showing me exactly what Vilya could do to heal the lands and peoples ravaged by war. There was so much to rebuild and ancient lands to explore that had been closed to us for centuries.

Some of the Elves would still take ship but the majority of my people seemed to be awakening to the possibilities now present in Middle-earth. For the first time in centuries, I was learning something new. The memory of the pain of yesterday was still there but my exercising of the new ability this morning had shown me that new marvels awaited my learning.

“Elrond,” Lorrin’s violet gaze caught mine. “We should venture forth to a spot near both water and rock. They will be your anchors when you cast your gaze out into your realm. The five of us will also provide you energy should yours falter. We need to do this now since events are happening in our valley, which will require our return very shortly.”

I nodded. “Agreed, Elder, I know just the place beside our favorite waterfall.”

“We’ll gather food and water to take with us, Father.” Elrohir stood and bowed briefly before taking Elladan with him to the kitchens.

“Then let us be off, gentlemen. The sooner we get started, the sooner we’ll see if we can rescue Mithrandir.” I pushed back from the table and prepared to learn something new. It was going to be a good day.


	12. Chapter 12

Merry  
*************** 

Pip was panting hard and holding onto my hand so tightly that I’d lost all feeling in it. But that didn’t matter. What did matter was that Rhea was taking so long to make the cut. I didn’t want to see that but I also didn’t want Pip to be in so much pain. It seemed we’d been here for hours while the ripples of contraction moved from side to side of Pip’s naked stomach.

“Almost ready, Pip. You’re doing very well and it looks like the baby has decided which way is up. Now, let’s see whether it’s a boy or a girl.” Rhea took some of the salve that Miriel was holding and painted an area to the left of Pip’s navel. “Close your eyes and stay very still for me, Pip. Merry, you might want to, also.”

I didn’t think I could watch him cutting my bonded open so I did as he asked, but not before kissing Pip’s cheek. He was all sweaty and trembling but that didn’t matter. I was praying over and over that it would go quickly. I couldn’t hear anything and the moment stretched out forever before I heard a wavering cry.

My eyes popped open and there was a tiny blood-covered baby cradled in Miriel’s hands. She was crooning and gently wiping away the fluid that covered it from head to toe before wrapping it in a warm yellow towel. “A little girl, Pip, you have a beautiful little girl. Here, Merry, hold her while I help Father close Pip up.”

I cast one quick look at Pip’s belly and then away. I definitely didn’t want to see a hole in his side. She didn’t weigh anything at all. Her little cries were like the chirping of the bluebirds that lived in the tree near our front door. She had all her fingers and toes and a tiny bit of reddish fluff that just might be hair one of these days.

“Oh, Pip, you do good work, love.” I had something in my eyes but then Pip did, too.

“Hello, little one, I’m your mama.” He said and slowly ran a finger over her soft cheek. Then he grimaced and I chanced a peek at Rhea holding Pip’s crystal over the incision. It was still red and angry looking but I couldn’t see inside of him anymore so that was good.

Pip’s eyes were already trying to close and when Rhea picked him up and settled him into the little white bed where Frodo had recovered from birthing his twins, I followed him with the baby. She was being good as gold for me and while Pip was snoozing, I took a warm damp cloth and finished cleaning her all up. She made the funniest faces when I tickled her that I could already see how much she looked like Pip.

I was so lucky to have both of them in my life. Rocking her a little, I watched her finally fall asleep. Miriel tiptoed over and asked me if I wanted her to go out and ask our parents to come in. Taking a quick look around, everything looked tidy and the baby was too, so I nodded yes.

They came in quietly and I left the chair so my mother could sit down and hold the baby first. Pip’s mother sat on the side of the bed and stroked his hand with tears in her eyes. The fathers both stood behind Mother and looked proudly down at their new granddaughter. We were all whispering back and forth when Pip awoke with a start.

“Merry,” he said. 

“It’s all right, Pip. We’re all here. How do you feel?” I said anxiously.

“A little sore and achy but so light that I could fly.” He said with one of his cheeky grins.

“What are you going to name her, son?” The Thain asked quietly while Mother handed the baby over to Eglantine.

We’d talked a lot about names but hadn’t really chosen any. Pip was watching his mother hold the baby with a big smile on his face. She woke up just then and gave that little chirping cry from before while we all chuckled at the surprised look on her face.

“Bluebird, she sings like a bluebird,” Pip said suddenly, those beautiful eyes coming to mine.

“Bluebird it is, Pip.” I said, kissing him gently. She gave another little cry before stuffing her hand into her mouth and chewing on her fingers.

Pip’s mother started chuckling. “That reminds me of Pip when he was a month old.”

We’d heard some of these stories before but I settled in next to Pip to listen to them again. A whole new generation was going to be hearing these tales and they might as well start now. I knew that I should go out to see everyone and thank them for all their help over the last few months but I didn’t want to leave my sweet Pip and our new daughter just yet.

Dinner time would be soon enough. I slipped an arm around Pip and dropped a kiss on his damp hair. The long pregnancy was finally over and our brand new daughter was well worth the effort. But I thought that one child was enough. I’d never risk Pip again to the dangers of carrying another baby. We were blessed with a beautiful reminder of our love.

And that was all we really needed.

***********   
Gimli  
*********** 

I cradled Glimmer to my shoulder and gave a sigh of relief at Miriel’s news. Pip was fine and their daughter was, too. We could all relax. Legolas joined me after having a quiet word with Frodo and Sam. Pharin was staring back over his shoulder at the door of the clinic and making little cooing sounds as if she could see through the door to the new baby. 

She gave me that feeling quite a lot some days. Seeing through doors and people seemed to be something she was good at. Maybe it was the Elf in her but she didn’t see the world the way her brother did. At six months old, she showed an older soul than my little Glimmer. She was going to leave her father behind if this kept up. 

As if she heard my thought, she quit looking at the door and smiled at me. “Da,” she said quietly. “Da, Da, Da.”

Legolas dropped a kiss on top of my head. “Don’t worry, Gimli. They’ll be home before you know it.”

I sighed. He thought I was worried about Papa and Lorrin. “I wish they were here right now. Rhea and Miriel did a fine job but I still miss them.”

“Let’s go home and ready our gifts for little Bluebird. I expect Pip and Merry will be home soon.” He led us down the path to our house and I followed along with Glimmer patting my cheek.

Our children were very aware of our moods, like little barometers of emotion and they always knew how to cheer us up. I was feeling unsettled for some reason and had no idea why. The last week had seen me jumping at shadows and sticking close to home. I’d never been afraid under ground but now it felt oppressive, like the entire mountain was sitting on my shoulders.

Legolas had let me be silent but I thought I was ready to talk to him. Maybe I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Dinner was festive with a toast to our newest member and her parents. The elder Tooks and Brandybucks were glowing with pride. Eglantine had already done a sketch of her son and his new daughter and it passed around the dining hall with great acclaim. 

After we ate and walked them back to the clinic, we had our first look at the newest Hobbit. She had Pip’s sweet lips and chin but she had Merry’s eyes. Pharin wanted down to see her closer and I sat on the side of the bed, chatting with Pip while my daughter greeted the little one in his arms with soft pats and a babble of baby words.

Then again, it sounded kind of like Elven so maybe she was making sense. Legolas was talking with Frodo about something so I decided to ask him later. We didn’t stay long since Pip fell asleep in mid-word. Legolas dropped a kiss on Bluebird’s head before gathering Pharin up. Our daughter pouted a little but looked over his shoulder to the baby.

“Bu-bu-bu,” she said distinctly and we all laughed. She just smiled smugly at us and waved to Pip and the baby.

Glimmer was waving goodbye from my shoulder and we left for home. The babies murmured to us while we patted their backs and listened intently. Sometimes it seemed like they were almost ready to make sense then they’d slip into babble and we’d chuckle at their earnest looks. Perhaps all parents dealt with that belief at some point? I thought about the tales that Papa had gifted to Legolas and me about my childhood.

Of course, Nanala had shared my love’s younger days with us so I wasn’t the only embarrassed one. It seemed we’d both been little mischief makers in our youth. Oh well, we were seasoned warriors, that might help when our children got their feet under them and started creating havoc. I snorted to myself, once they started walking, I firmly expected to be constantly on my guard.

Papa said that I took a decade off his life the first week I discovered how to stand upright and move forward. The twins would probably take two off of mine. I looked down into my son’s eyes and saw such joy that I could only chuckle. They would lead us a merry chase, these two small imps made of our blood and seed. And I would not change a single terrifying, humorous moment of what was to come.

“My dearest love, you are going to share your thoughts with me after the children go to sleep.” Legolas held the door of our home open for me and the look on his and Pharin’s faces were identically puzzled.

I chuckled and carried Glimmer inside. Bath time was fun and we were all four squeaky clean when we left the sunken tub for the comfort of our bed. The babies’ evening milk was sucked down slowly while I combed out the braids of Legolas’ silky long tresses. He liked it when I did that and I must admit that I loved it when he brushed my thick hair. So I kept on brushing while first Glimmer then Pharin succumbed to sleep.

We carried them into the nursery and the cradle that held them both but not for much longer. I’d have to see if Merry would craft some beds for them. They looked so angelic curled around each other, the dark and light of their hair mingled together on the white pillow. They were the most beautiful babies in the whole of Middle-earth. I was still musing on that when I noticed that Legolas was leading me back to our bedroom.

“I shall brush your hair, beloved, while you tell me what is troubling you.” He told me sternly, well as sternly as he could ever get while being his graceful naked self. “On the bed, my heart, and unburden yourself.”

I climbed in and settled myself cross-legged in the middle of our bed. He slid in behind me, his hands undoing my braid before combing his long fingers through my hair. “I’m not sure what it is, Legolas. I have a sense of foreboding almost as great as the one that filled me in the depths of Moria. The world is changing and we don’t know what it will become. I think there is something coming, something new whether for good or ill, I don’t know.”

“Frodo had a most disquieting dream last night. He said it was as if the Ring wraiths had come back except there was only one.” His hands kept up the soothing brushing while the hair on the back of my neck tried to stand up. “When he got close enough to the black shrouded figure that hovered above the ground, under the cowl was a mass of shifting lights swirling together. He woke up and had to dash to the bathroom to be sick.” 

“Damn, he’s the closest of us to that shadow world of Mordor. Could something have been left when Sauron was destroyed?” I rubbed my hands on my knees and fought back a shiver.

“I don’t know, my love.” His arms came around me, holding tight and rocking me a little like he did one of the children. “I do know that powerful magics protect this new land of ours. Lorrin mentioned something about wards and allies before he left.”

“Blast, I wish they were home again.” I picked up one of his hands and nestled a kiss in the palm. “I want all the allies I can get to keep our children safe.”

He sighed and rested his head on mine. “Someone once said that children are hostages to fortune. I will fight to my life’s end to protect them.”

This time the shiver shook my whole body and I turned awkwardly in his arms. “As will I, beloved, but Lorrin said something before he left about them having their own protection. Did he say more to you?”

Legolas framed my face with his hands and kissed me sweetly for a long moment before pulling just far enough away to gaze into my eyes. “He said that the children of Friendly would become one of the marvels of Middle-earth. Not just Pharin and Glimmer but Bilbo and Elanor are something new to our world.”

I frowned and sighed. This was my fear brought to life. “Pharin is already growing beyond me, Legolas. She looks right through me sometimes, seeing things that I will never see or understand.”

He smiled tenderly at me and pushed me back onto the sheets so he could lie on my chest. “She will never grow beyond you, Gimli. You are her beloved father and you will always be there for her. She will try her wings soon enough as all young ones do but you are the rock on which this family is built. You may not understand her always but then neither will I. She is after all, a female and that almost guarantees that we’ll have to ask for help for certain things when she gets bigger.”

I slid my hands up his arms to his broad shoulders and pulled him a little closer. “Girl things? Feminine items of apparel, questions about menses, funny feelings about boys, those sorts of things?”

He grinned and kissed me hard enough to part my lips so he could surge inside to mate with my tongue. My shaft was rising and so was his. His hair fell in a silken curtain around me, its sweet fragrance filling my nostrils. Surrounded by him everywhere, I pulled him closer and felt our cocks slide together between us. When he moved back a bit, I stroked down to the hard arrow with which he was always armed.

“Take me tonight, Legolas.” I slid my hand around it and watched him shudder. “Remind me of how our love created two such beautiful babies.”

He chuckled and reached a long arm for the bottle of oil that we always kept by the bed. “Is your crystal far enough away, do you think?”

I blushed at the thought that our crystals might get me pregnant. “It’s two rooms away so I think I’m safe. Otherwise, the twins will just have to move over for their little brothers or sisters.”

“Dearest beloved Gimli,” he kissed me hard once before moving off of me so I could turn over. “I promised to carry all the children of this family so you are indeed safe.” His slick hands made me ready for him while I panted at each touch. I was on my hands and knees when he breached me, sliding deep and sparking that spot inside of me. His aim as always was true and I moaned a little at the fire that flashed through me with each direct hit of my sweet spot.

We rocked together slowly until the fire grew too much and I erupted into his hand while he flooded me with heat. He kissed the back of my neck where he’d bitten me earlier and I chuckled. I would wear his mark with pride, the way he so often wore mine. He finally pulled from me and cleaned us both up with the towel we kept near the oil. Snuggling under the sheet, I pillowed my head near his and watched his beautiful face prepare for sleep.

“Beloved, tomorrow we will speak with the others about dreams and portents. For now, sleep and know how much your children and I love you.” He kissed me gently and I let go of my fears for the moment. 

Perhaps Balin would send me a dream of the future where all of us were safe, happy and loved. That was the only future that I wanted for all of Friendly. And Legolas was right, my father and Lorrin would soon be home with news of the outside world. For now, I was content in my lover’s arms. I was gloomy by nature and I knew that I had to fight that tendency.

Holding Legolas was the best way I knew to brighten my mood. He was light and laughter and all that was joy to me. Together we would be able to face anything. Anything at all.


	13. Chapter 13

Gloin  
**************** 

Elrond was suspended in mid-air above the crystal white sand at the foot of the waterfall.

Elrohir held his right hand while Elladan held his left.

I had hold of his left foot looking across at Lorrin who held his right.

Glorfindel cradled his lover’s head between his hands and wept silently.

The dark Elf lord was as rigid as a slab of marble, no longer racked by tremors.

Lorrin was chanting slowly under his breath and each time he whispered ‘Elbereth’, Elrond hardened a little more. The lord’s dark eyes were closed but his eyelids twitched as if he was seeing . . . something.

The hair on the back of my neck kept trying to rise and it felt like a storm was building up around us. If lightning could be invisible, I would have sworn that this small glade was being struck continuously. His sons had worried looks and I couldn’t blame them. It had been almost two hours since Lorrin had instructed Elrond in how to cast his mind out into his land.

He’d been on the sand then. An hour into his trance, he’d risen a foot above the ground. At the two hour mark, he’d floated up another foot and a half. Lorrin had said that I was channeling the element earth for the dark lord and I had dug in my feet to provide a good anchor for him. Elrohir stood for water, Elladan for air, Lorrin was fire and Glorfindel was the keeper of spirit.

This was all new to me but I wasn’t the only one. The twins had listened wide-eyed while Lorrin explained what Elrond as the keeper of Vilya could do when he attuned himself to the blue crystal he wore. My mind was beginning to wander a bit while we waited for him to come back to his body. Was the crystal that I wore capable of this? At my age could I learn a new trick or two?

Gazing across at the Elf who had so unexpectedly changed my life, I had to fight back a smile. He was teaching me many different things like, how to love him and accept his love in return; how to appreciate the trees that he moved through like the wind; how to make that funny Elven way-bread, lembas that tasted so good; but mostly he was teaching me that this old dog could definitely learn some new tricks.

His gaze caught mine and the little smile told me that he was probably reading my mind again. He says that it’s my body language that he’s translating but I think it just might be something more. I had noticed that my sons shared something like this gift and if Gimli could learn it then I could, too.

A whisper of a sigh came from Elrond’s lips or so it sounded to me but the way the Elves reacted it might as well have been a shout. Lorrin’s chant grew louder then louder yet while the dark lord began to slowly sink back to earth. I could feel the difference the moment he groaned. Lorrin was checking the pulse on Elrond’s bare ankle and he nodded decisively.

“Glorfindel, take him back and warm him the way you did yesterday. Elladan, order something lighter for this noon meal. Elrohir, make sure his bed has some extra blankets. He’ll be cold, almost frozen. Gloin and I will be by later in the day to check on him.” He watched the blond Elf gather Elrond in his arms. “He may speak disjointedly or have muscle spasms but that is normal. Hold him close and provide him a reason to return from his journey.”

“Yes,” Glorfindel bowed his head to my lover and followed closely by the twins, departed for the central palace.

Lorrin sighed and almost fell into my arms. I caught him close and urged him down onto the sand so I could hold him properly. Slowly, I kissed his golden face from his eyebrows down over his thin cheeks to his cool lips. He opened to me at once and our tongues tangled together. He still tasted a bit of the oranges we’d had for breakfast and I wondered briefly if we could grow those scented trees in the Vestella.

He smiled and kissed me back for a long moment before pulling just far enough away to rest his head on my shoulder. “That was intense, my friend. I could sense three areas of darkness and each will have to be checked before we can leave to return home.”

“You could see what Elrond saw?” I wished I knew more about this magic.

“Not exactly, my inner sight followed his journey through the land and the patches of darkness were readily apparent.” He sighed against my throat and licked it gently. I was still glad that I’d trimmed my beard. His lips felt better than good against my skin. “Two are close by but the third is on the border on our way home. That is where I believe the greatest peril lies. I . . .”

He paused then sat up, leaving his hands resting on mine while his beautiful eyes seemed to glow with an amethyst light. “I sense a presence that sours the wind and befouls the earth. Perhaps something that I have felt before.”

I shivered and pulled him back into my arms. “Lord Elrond is a canny Elf and we will have his full backing when we confront this darkness. Do not borrow trouble, Lorrin.”

He chuckled in surprise. “Is that a wise old Dwarven saying?”

“No, actually it was my mother who taught me that at her knee.” I told him with a grin and enjoyed his laughter. When he finally stopped, I looked him straight in the eye. “We will face it together, Lorrin, and whatever it is we will banish from this fair land. Together, the way we came.”

“My stalwart Dwarf, you are right.” He tucked a loose bit of hair back behind my ear and I leaned into that long-fingered hand. “We shall face it and leave for home tomorrow if it is at all possible. We’re needed there.” His gaze went unfocused and a shadow crossed his face. “Pip has delivered his child. The warding is shaken by . . . her power. The circle is complete.”

“What of the others?” I asked with a sense of foreboding.

“They are well, Gloin.” His gaze sharpened and his stomach growled in time with my own. “Let us away to our noon meal and perhaps an afternoon nap. You can help me replenish my energy.” Springing to his feet, he tugged me to my feet. “I find I have an appetite.”

I chuckled and put aside my burgeoning fear that something was wrong with our families. But I had another old saying learned from my mother – what can’t be cured must be endured. If we faced it together, I planned on triumphing over what ever evil we found. Failing wasn’t an option, not when my children needed us.

***********   
Elrohir  
*********** 

I awoke earlier than usual. Glorfindel had shooed us off after we made sure that Father ate something. We’d met up with some old friends and traded stories with them until supper. Elladan had complained of a headache and we’d turned in early after the singing. I’d have checked on Father but I was afraid of what I’d see or hear.

Looking down at the beautiful head on my chest, I ran my fingers through El’s black hair. He’d been letting it grow longer and he loved it when I brushed it for him. Of course, I loved it when he returned the favor. Closing my eyes, I thought about Father coming to us and telling us that he knew of our secret. I was more than glad that Lorrin had helped him accept our love.

El’ would have been devastated if he’d rejected us. And if I looked into my own heart, I would have been, also. Poor Father, his daughter marries a Man and his sons can’t see anyone but each other. At least he had someone who loved him unconditionally. Glorfindel had always been someone we could go to when we were afraid to tell Father something. He’d give us the truth and explain our options, which usually meant we told Father anyway. But sometimes just the practice telling helped figure out how to tell him.

“You’re thinking so hard that I can hear you.” Elladan’s husky voice drifted up to me.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about Father and Glorfindel and things.” I rolled us to our sides so I could kiss him. I love the taste of him first thing in the morning. It’s pure El’ and wonderfully tasty.

“Hm-m-m,” he murmured and pushed me a little bit away. “Things, my love?”

“Marrella was very pleased to see you. She looked like she’d enjoy getting you alone.”

He chuckled and kissed the end of my nose. “Why do you think I got a headache? She’s gotten no more subtle in the last few years. What about Roland? He had his eye on you pretty much from the moment we stepped into the dining hall.”

It was my turn to laugh. “He’s a randy sod, no mistake. Maybe we could get the two of them together?”

He pushed me onto my back and swarmed over my chest. “No matchmaking, my brother, it causes nothing but trouble. And we won’t be here long enough to do a good job. I have the feeling that we’re needed back in Friendly. Lorrin had an odd look in his eyes.”

I kept on running my hands down his back while I thought back to the elder Elf who was our friend. “You’re right. I wonder how Pip is.” I pressed down a bit and he wiggled our groins together in a most familiar way. “You know what? I’m ready to go home.”

His lips curled up into the sweet smile that I loved the most. “Back to our own cottage and our friends, not to mention Jallico’s inspired cooking. I’m ready, too.” He pressed down suggestively. “In more ways than one, brother dearest.”

I tickled his crease and his legs splayed to either side of my hips. “I can feel that, El’.”

He chuckled again and sat up, guiding me home within his velvet soft channel. “I can feel many things, Elrohir.” He pulsed around me before beginning to move slowly. “I feel your heartbeat.” His hands smoothed over my chest, tweaking my nipples with just the right amount of strength. “I feel you within me, giving me your power.” His strong thighs pushed him up then back down again while we both gasped. “I feel the other half of my soul nestled in yours.”

“Always, my Elladan, you carry half of my soul within you.” I thrust up when he came down and felt him shiver. He rode me until it grew too much and we released, each into the other’s keeping.

********   
Lorrin  
******** 

We rode towards the third dark hole in Rivendell’s fabric while I drank in as much energy as I could gather. Sunlight was fire and I’d loosened my collar and rolled up my sleeves so I could absorb more of it. Arod, my prince’s own horse which he’d insisted we take on our journey, moved almost silently through the ancient oak trees. Gloin rode behind me with those burly arms of his holding me tight. I’d never been more grounded in my long life.

The phrase ‘salt of the earth’ had been nothing more than a saying until I met and fell in love with Gloin. His power had begun to grow when a crystal chose him deep within the mountain. How my people would have marveled at his strength. The Vestella Forest now housed some of the most powerful mages of any age, although some of them were less than a year old.

Pip and Merry’s daughter was the last of the five needed for a complete Circle. I just wondered what price the little one had paid for her gift of spirit. Hopefully, I would be there when they discovered what sense the Old Gods had taken. When I heard that the two Hobbits were first cousins, I’d known that a price would be extracted. Even in the womb, I could feel her gift glowing.

The five of them were going to be more powerful than any Circle ever raised by my people. But first they needed time to grow up. I was praying that this contaminated spot would be a manifestation of the alien and not actually one of them. Lord Elrond’s powers were strong but so new that he would not be an equal partner in a battle. Vilya would help but her powers were also newly awakened.

If I was right, Gandalf had met the Dark One and drained him of energy but then been trapped in their meeting spot, which we were even now approaching. I halted our small band and swung my leg over Arod’s neck so I could slide to the ground. Gloin growled but landed right next to me. The others looked a question at me and I smiled.

“The horses need to stay here. They will not react well to this darkness.” I said simply.

Lord Elrond dismounted gracefully and bade his horse graze. The twins and Glorfindel did the same and I explained what I was sensing. Even from here, the wrongness of the small glade could be felt. The twins were uneasy, back to back as if to protect each other. I knelt and dug my hands into the soil, willing my senses into the shadowed grove. Gloin’s hands held my shoulders instinctively and I silently blessed him for it.

The dark was a memory only. I almost fell over in my relief. “Something is still there but it is not what I feared. Something,” I turned my head from side to side as if that would help pierce the shadowy curtain that veiled the spot. “A heart of fire set in a band of fire-made metal calls to me.”

“Narya, one of the three Elven rings of power was given to Gandalf.” Lord Elrond said quietly and even with my eyes closed, I could see Vilya shining in answer to her sister crystal. 

Standing up, I led them to the grove and sent them equidistant paces from me so we could advance in a circle. There was resistance, left over from the energy battle but Narya had been activated and she was helping pierce the veil from the inside. My crystal blazed on my chest and as if in answer, Gloin’s white crystal shone forth like the light of the full moon. I could feel his surprise and the unexpected surge of energy that flowed from him to meet with Lord Elrond’s and mine.

With a clap of thunder, the veil was torn aside and the long figure of the missing wizard was revealed lying on the scorched grass. His once white robes were tattered and rent with a thousand slits. His beard was singed and his hands were burned almost black. Narya’s glow grew with a pulsing red fire that flowed over him like a crimson tide. The glare was like a miniature sun flaring in the center of the glade.

And suddenly a heart beat could be heard. The glow slowly died and left the wizard looking like he had the last time he left Friendly. Our crystals ceased their flaring and Lord Elrond approached his old friend cautiously. But there was no more danger to be found, just a slight smell of brimstone rising from the earth itself. I would spend a few hours here to make sure that nothing remained but it appeared that Narya had done a through job of cleansing.

“Gandalf!” Lord Elrond knelt by the wizard and touched his forehead with the hand that bore Vilya. The soft blue glow pulsed for a moment then subsided. “Wake up, old friend. You’re missing out on all the news.”

“Harrumph,” the wizard groaned and opened his eyes gingerly. “It’s about time, Elrond. Don’t you ever visit this part of Rivendell? A body could lie here for months without you noticing anything wrong.”

The dark lord just laughed and helped him sit up. Glorfindel knelt by his other side and offered the water flask, which he took with alacrity. He drained it and sighed. “Havens, I’ve been wanting that for months. May we move to the stream over there? I have the urge for more.”

I chuckled and watched them help him to his feet. Gloin joined me and we followed them to the tiny stream that meandered through the trees. His story should prove interesting, I thought. I could hardly wait to hear it.


	14. Chapter 14

Gimli  
************* 

“Papa!” I hugged my father so tight that he started complaining. But when I tried to let go with an apology, he held me just as tight. The eight weeks had seemed more like a year and I looked at the five of them with a deep sense of satisfaction. Gandalf looked a little frail to me but Frodo and Sam had him in a bear hug between the two of them.

Lorrin looked surprised at his welcome from Legolas but he was hugging him back with a smile on his face. The twins had been greeted by Rhea and his family while several of the other residents looked on with happy smiles. Maybe we should declare another holiday to welcome them home, I thought happily. The weather continued mild and sunny so another picnic would be easy to arrange.

“My goodness gracious, which set are these little ones?” Gandalf was looking at our children held by Nanala and Pfister.

“Gandalf, this is Pharin and Glimmer.” My bonded took them both and held them up to the white haired wizard. Our daughter took one look at him and smiled, reaching for his beard with a cooing sound that usually only the two of us heard. “Oh, my dear, you’re going to break hearts right and left when you grow up. And Glimmer is a fine strong lad, Gimli.” 

I thought that he looked rather hard at the pair of them but then he sighed and seemed to age right before my eyes. My father let go of me and spoke up. “Gandalf, why don’t you come over to my house and get settled in? We can all meet for dinner and talk in comfort instead of standing around in the road like this.”

“Yes, that would be most welcome, Gloin. Frodo and Sam, I’m anxious to meet your children, too. And Pip and Merry’s new baby. Goodness, I have been out of touch.” He smiled so tenderly at the Hobbits that I wasn’t surprised to find their hug renewed.

“That’s all right Mr. Gandalf, we’ll bring them over and introduce them to you after dinner. I’m thinking that you’d best have a nice long nap before you take on two sets of twins and our newest member. Bilbo walked three steps today and Elanor was right behind him.” Sam told him with a grin and the old wizard patted his back.

“Come along, Gandalf. We’ll see you settled in first then we’ll go tell everybody that you’re home at last.” Frodo said decisively and began to lead him after my father.

I meant to follow but Legolas brought me to his side with a gesture. “Gimli, Lorrin wishes to see Bluebird so I thought we’d join him. Pharin is most insistent that we all go.”

Looking at our daughter, I caught that far-away look that had so disconcerted me a few weeks ago. Something was going to happen and she knew what it was. I reached up and she came into my arms with a happy “Da-da-da.”

“We’re going visiting, sweetheart.” I followed alongside of the elder Elf who had so entranced my father. We spoke of common things like harvest and weather and how Cincall had come back with enough money from his woodwork to ask the weaver and his wife for Saluur’s hand in marriage. In three weeks, we’d have our first wedding in Friendly, after their new house was finished.

Turning in to Pip and Merry’s path, we knocked on the door and greeted Pip’s mother. The Tooks and the Brandybucks were still here but slowly getting ready to head back to the Shire. Winter would arrive within the month or so my bones told me and they wanted to be home before that happened. But until then, they were storing up lots of memories to take home with them.

We sat on the settee and set Pharin and Glimmer on the floor to crawl happily on the pretty rug before the fire. Pip came out of the nursery with Bluebird in his arms and Merry right behind him. Lorrin looked up from his seat on the hearth and smiled at the happy trio. He asked questions about the delivery while the baby cooed in his arms. Pip proudly told him how long she’d been, how much she weighed and how her hair was growing in.

Pharin crawled over to Lorrin’s feet and pulled herself up to pat the baby. “Bu-bu-bu, Lor.”

I grinned in delight. “That’s her fourth word, Lorrin. You should be honored.”

“I am honored indeed, Gimli.” He held out a steadying hand to our daughter and she grasped hold of it with one hand while the other reached to pat the little hobbit’s face.

“Bu,” her smile disappeared and tiny fingers stroked the little girl’s temple. “Lor.”

“I understand, Pharin. It will be all right, little one.” He stroked her beautiful blonde curls and she nodded as if she understood.

“There’s something wrong, isn’t there, Lorrin?” Pip’s voice quavered a little and Merry hugged him tight. “I noticed something this morning. She looks past us as if she can’t see us.”

“Bluebird will have a long and happy life, my friends.” The elder elf’s gaze caught theirs and his quiet voice carried powerfully to us all. “She has a sixth sense of spirit that will flower as she grows up. But there was a price for that gift and the cost will be hard for you to bear. She is blind and will remain so.”

Tears ran down my face into my shortened beard and when I looked up, I saw Legolas’ face also wet. Glimmer crawled to me and tugged hard on my pant leg. I brought him up to my lap where he hugged me hard while patting Legolas’ hand. Pip’s sobs were loud in the silence while Merry’s face was twisted with grief.

“It’s all my fault.” Pip sobbed. “I shouldn’t have wished to have a child . . . not when we’re first cousins.”

“Not your fault, love.” Merry almost shook him. “If anyone’s, it’s mine. I’m the elder.”

“It is no one’s fault, Merry and Pippin.” Lorrin spoke forcefully. “There is much you need to know about this valley and the elemental powers that once were a part of Middle-earth. These powers needed a shape and form for this new age. The five children born this year have all been blessed with different gifts.”

“All of our children?” I asked sharply. Glimmer laughed out loud and I held him tightly as if he’d be taken away from me.

“Each is the embodiment of a different element. Glimmer will be an earth mage of unsurpassed power.” Lorrin’s gaze met mine unflinchingly. “Pharin will channel the element of water. Bilbo will fly with the air while Elanor will handle fire with ease.” His gaze dropped to the little hobbit in his arms. “And this little one will complete the circle with her bright, shining spirit. Merry and Pip, do not despair. Love her as she will love you – with all your hearts and souls.”

Pip managed a smile when he took his daughter back into his arms. “We do love her. More than anything.”

“Good, that will see you through all the interesting times to come.” Lorrin picked up Pharin and stood. “There is no one in Friendly who will not help you guard her during her childhood. These children are the heart of this valley and we shall all take great good care of them. Do not grieve over long, my friends. She needs your love now and in the days to come.”

Handing our daughter to Legolas, he dropped a kiss on her head. “I will talk with Sam and Frodo after dinner at your home.” Then he turned back to the weeping Halflings. “Let us have your parents back in so I can answer all your questions.”

We left with quiet goodbyes for our friends. The walk to our home was silent while I held Glimmer close and pondered the elder’s words. They would be great mages when they grew up. Bluebird had paid with her sight, would they also have a price to pay? What had we done? Had our love condemned them to suffering? 

“Do not despair, my love.” Legolas read my thoughts with ease. “We knew that our children were special, Gimli. They will have all the triumphs and heartaches that come with growing up. But they know we love them and we always will.” He dropped a kiss on my head before ushering me through our front door. “And that will protect them from a great deal. I think we’ll eat in tonight. I find I can not yet face our neighbors.”

“Yes,” I sighed and managed a smile before setting my son in the gated area near the kitchen. “Glimmer, take care of your sister while I go over and tell your grandfather what has happened.”

Legolas set Pharin down beside him before kissing me hard. I savored him although the taste of his earlier tears stained his sweet lips. Pulling away reluctantly, I managed another smile for them before leaving. I would have to think long and hard about the revelations of the last hour.

**********   
Sam  
********** 

I felt kind of numb by the time that Lorrin got finished telling us about the babies. Frodo had a lot of questions but I couldn’t think of a thing to say. I watched Bilbo walking unsteadily to Glimmer before plopping down to play with one of the brightly painted balls that Cincall had made for them. Elanor and Pharin were building towers with their colorful wooden blocks before knocking them down with glee.

They seemed so normal, playing there that I just couldn’t wrap my mind around all this talk of magic and elements and such. Was it our fault for being ring-bearers? Was it the magic potion that Frodo and Legolas had drunk? But Pip hadn’t drunk anything at all. The crystals that helped heal, maybe they were a double edged sword?

The room was real quiet after Lorrin answered Frodo’s last question. The adults were all watching the children play on the brightly colored rug. Gloin finally sighed and we looked at him.

“Well, the next few years are going to be pretty interesting, aren’t they?” He bent down and rolled a wayward ball back to Bilbo. “Since your Elanor is going to be a master of fire, I guess that she’s the one who’ll learn the Dwarven smith trade while our Glimmer apprentices himself to you, Sam.”

A dwarf gardener? My little girl working at a hot forge? I gulped hard and tried to picture that. But Frodo had begun to laugh and I just had to watch him instead.

“Dear Havens, Bilbo will probably apprentice to Master Clothile once he grows older but what will Pharin do with the element of water?” Frodo chuckled and Legolas joined in.

“I do not know, Frodo, but whatever it is, emotions will be involved.” Gimli looked a little less stern and his bonded hugged him close. “Perhaps she’ll apprentice to Rhea and Lorrin for healing lessons?”

For some reason, all this talk of apprenticeships made me feel better. It would be years before we had to worry about them growing up and into dangerous jobs. For now, we needed to concentrate on loving each and every one of them. My heart ached when I thought about little Bluebird’s blindness and how much her parents were hurting right now.

Merry and Pip surely didn’t deserve such pain but Frodo and I would help out all we could and both sets of twins would, too. In fact, everybody in Friendly would pitch in to watch out for our youngest member. I sat up a little straighter and finally joined in the speculation about what our children would want to be when they grew up.

Later, I lay in bed waiting for Frodo to come to bed. He’d detoured to check on the babies in the nursery but he’d told me to go ahead. I’d lit the fire earlier to take the chill off and the flames were real pretty to watch. We’d gotten out the heavier quilt the day before and I was glad of it. It wasn’t so much the chill in the air as the one in my heart that was giving me the shivers.

But then Frodo came in wearing his pretty blue robe that brought out the blue of his eyes and the temperature in the room went up about twenty degrees. Shutting the door behind him, he smiled at me and unbelted the silky sash. He wasn’t wearing anything at all under it and I sat straight up in bed so I could watch him cross the room to me. He’s the most beautiful Hobbit in Middle-earth and I was so lucky that he loved me.

“Are you still worried about our children, Sam?” He asked before sliding under the covers towards me.

“A bit, Frodo, I can’t seem to help it. They’re so little to be having all this talk about magic and destiny and such.” I lay back down and cuddled him close.

“We will be right here loving them with all our hearts and souls, my own Sam.” He slid his arms up around my neck and pulled me so close that I couldn’t tell where I ended and he began. “If their destiny is to be as happy as we are, then they will be the happiest Hobbits in Middle-earth.”

Funny, but he was thinking the same thing that I was. “I just don’t want all the pain that we had to go through to ever touch them.”

“Oh, Sam.” He kissed me and started unbuttoning my night shirt. When he pulled away, I blinked hazily. “No one grows up without pain, but when it’s leavened with love and caring, nothing can really hurt them permanently.”

My Frodo was a very wise Hobbit I decided while trying to touch him everywhere. We slid together easily and he disappeared for a while beneath the covers to suck me into his hot mouth, wetting me to hard iron. A moment later and I was deep inside of him while he rode me slowly. I was panting to catch my breath but he was smiling down at me, his fingers tweaking my nipples to hard peaks.

“I love you, my Sam. And I’d like to thank you for giving me such beautiful babies. I think we should practice making more.” He rocked a little harder and I thrust up when he came down. His breathy moan made me even harder if that was possible. 

“Maybe more children will help protect all of them.” I managed to say although my brain was pretty much fried at this moment.

He smiled tenderly and leaned down to kiss me again. Our tongues took up the thrusting for our bodies until we had to breathe and he could sit up again. “I’m certain that we are going to have many babies, Sam. Each and every one will be welcomed, loved and protected by our whole community. We’re something new, my beautiful Sam, and so are our children.”

I was about to go off like one of Gandalf’s rockets. “Something new, Frodo, thank goodness.”

He laughed out loud. “Thank goodness, indeed. Oh there, Sam, right there.”

I rolled us over so I could reach ‘right there’ better. Another few moments and I let go deep inside of him while he squirted between our stomachs. His warm hands pulled me to his lips and we kissed slowly, gently and tenderly. I realized that I held my heart’s desire in my arms. May our children grow up to find their hearts desires. 

Mages or not, they were our children and we’d watch over them until it was time for them to fly our nest. Maybe Frodo and I would practice making more so our nest wouldn’t empty for some time to come. I’d tell him about that later, once I got my lips back. For now, I was content.


	15. Chapter 15

Elrond  
*********** 

The tap at the door interrupted my reading of one of the books that Lorrin had brought and I almost told them to go away. But when I looked up, I realized just how long I’d been in one position and regretfully laid it aside. “Enter.”

It was my lover and I wondered at his formality until I saw who came behind him. “Ah, Thranduil, this is a surprise.”

Damn and blast! A nasty surprise, too. If I got stuck with this idiot for the winter, I was going to be insane by spring. The next hour was spent in stilted conversation while Glorfindel played lackey, pouring wine for our visitor and his retinue of six. I looked at this elf that I’d known for so many centuries and wondered if I really knew him at all. He was tall, blond, good-looking but as cold as a January day. My poor Legolas, how sad for him to have grown up with this fool.

When he finally left to get ready for dinner, I’d bitten my tongue a dozen times. What if he asked after Legolas? What should I say? The vindictive part of me wanted to show him the sketches that Gloin had left for me, especially the one where Legolas rested on a blanket under a tree with Gimli’s head in his lap and each one holding one of their twins.

That ought to finish him off, I thought with a smile of anticipation.

“My Lord?” The quiet voice from behind me reminded me that all his aides had not yet cleared the room.

I turned to see Perri, Thranduil’s youngest aide standing near the door, shifting a little nervously from one foot to the other. “Yes, Perri, what is it?”

“The border guard said that you found Mithrandir safe, my lord.” He asked anxiously.

“Safe if not necessarily sound.” I told him and watched him blench. 

“He was hurt? How badly? Were you able to heal him?” He didn’t even breathe between questions, his deep blue eyes warm with anxiety.

“He’d been trapped by a . . .” I hesitated while trying to remember what we’d called the darkness. “A last remnant of the army of Sauron attacked him with fire but he was not lastingly hurt. He was fine when he left for the Vestella.”

Perri flinched and looked over a broad shoulder before turning back to me. He looked a little more relaxed. “Thank you, Lord Elrond. I am glad.”

I gazed at him curiously. “I had not thought that Mithrandir had friends in Mirkwood any longer?”

He blushed hard, red flooding his long neck and face. “I was able to be a part of Prince,” he cast another look behind him before continuing, “Prince Legolas’ lessons with him. I am . . . fond of him.”

Fond? I wondered. “After dinner when the singing has started, I will be on this balcony if you should like the complete story.”

His eyes lit up, glowing almost sapphire and he nodded. “If I am able, Lord Elrond, I would most appreciate the tale.” Bowing, he slipped out of the door and disappeared with the speed of one of our gazelles. 

I was left with the oddest impression that our wizard had an admirer. Glorfindel entered again, shutting the door behind him firmly. “What did Perri want, El’? He passed me absolutely beaming.”

“He asked after Mithrandir most fondly.” I told him while slipping into his embrace and resting my head on his broad shoulder. “I’m getting an urge to match-make, ‘Del.”

“Havens!” He chuckled and kissed the tip of my ear, sending a shiver through my body. “Then we must separate him from our visitors and send him to Friendly. If we’re lucky and he leaves soon, he should be able to reach them within two weeks.”

“Lucky?” I licked that hollow at the base of his throat and it was his turn to shiver. 

“He’ll get snowed in there and by the time spring arrives, if he’s truly fond of our wizard, they should be nicely bonded.” Glorfindel said triumphantly before taking my lips with a hard kiss. It looked like I was the one who was going to get lucky, I thought while beginning to sink into the soft haze he always engenders in me. But then his lips were gone and I opened my eyes to protest their retreat, only to find him smiling at me. 

“Dinner, my lord, then the singing. Put your brain to work on an excuse to send Perri to the Vestella and I shall reward you later.” My infuriating lover let me go while I could feel myself pouting. He cupped my chin and spoke sternly. “I promise to chastise you most severely if you should fail to find a solution to this dilemma.”

I went hot in a heartbeat and my whole body began to tighten in anticipation. I loved it when ‘Del got masterful. The next few hours were spent with our unwelcome guests and a delicious meal, which I barely noticed because I was so involved with my plotting. Thranduil is a man of limited tastes so the conversation revolved around hunting and gem collecting.

He’s a connoisseur of wine though so I was able to fob him off onto Erestor, my steward who gave me a speaking glance but shouldered the burden with a smile. I slipped away under plea of business and Thranduil bade me go with a comment about learning how to delegate. I gritted my teeth and left with a false smile, surreptitiously beckoning Perri out also. He joined me silently and we adjourned to my balcony and the sweet wine that my lover enjoyed.

I told him of finding Mithrandir although I glossed over the use of crystals and gave the honors of ‘seeing the dark spot’ to Lorrin. His almost immediate removal to the Vestella with Lorrin had Perri looking rather downcast until I mentioned that the Varyan Elf was bonded to Gloin, the father of Gimli who was bonded to his own Prince Legolas.

Showing Perri the sketches of Legolas’ family life left him gasping in wonder and begging for the story that hadn’t reached beyond Rivendell. Glorfindel joined us then and subtly probed Perri’s intentions towards the wizard. Once convinced of his much more than tepid emotions towards our old friend, we asked him what he would like to do next.

Shyly he shared a glance between us. “I would like to find a reason to travel there and become one of their settlers. I have served my king for almost five hundred years but it is time for me to leave. I can not approve of his treatment of his own son so I can no longer serve him whole-heartedly. But . . . my talents are few.”

“You write a fair hand, you hunt well and you’ve got a talent for writing witty songs.” My lover said judiciously. “The bigger their village grows, the more hunters will be needed. I know Lord Elrond would appreciate another scroll or two from the Varyan cache that Legolas and Frodo are so painstakingly copying for him.”

I glared at him and made Perri laugh. Finishing my wine, I set my glass aside and leaned forward. “Perri, you have served your king well but like Nanala and Pfister, it’s time to make a new choice. Tell him that you are moving on to become an archivist or simply leave him a note resigning your place in his guard. I will make sure that he is none the worse for your leaving.”

He looked towards the waterfall that lulled me to sleep most nights, his profile almost the same pure lines of his Prince. Gandalf was going to have his hands full with this one, I mused. It was tempting to tag along and see how it worked out. I caught a glimpse of Glorfindel’s chiding look and decided to capitalize on it with an innocent look of my own.

“Thank you, my lord. I will face him tomorrow morning and say goodbye to my old life before setting out upon my new. I appreciate your counsel.” He smiled at us both with a serene look in his eyes.

“I will be your witness, Perri, after we break our fast in the morning.” My lover told him.

“Thank you again. I will say goodnight, my lords.” He stood and bowed to us both before quietly leaving us.

The air sang between Glorfindel and me while we waited until the waterfall was the only sound in the still air. Then he stood and stretched out his hand to me, raising me from my chair and leading me inside. “My lord seemed very taken with young Perri. Perhaps there is another reason for your championship of his cause?”

Ah, he had not forgotten my chastisement, I thought fondly. Feigning some confusion, I looked at him with wide eyes. “Perri is certainly a beautiful young elf. His eyes are a most pleasing shade of blue, don’t you think?”

His eyes glowed like blue coals. “They are indeed, my lord. I think you are taken by the sweetness of his youth. Perhaps you need reminding where your true love can be found?”

I pretended to think only to find myself upended over his shoulder and carried like a sack of grain into our bedroom. I protested but not perhaps as much as I might have. None too soon, I found myself tied to the four posters and suspended over our bed after being stripped naked as the day I was born. Any struggle was negated by the silken ties that held me stretched between the oak posts of our bed.

“Yes, I can see that some reminder is needed, El’.” My grinning lover said before bringing out the weapon of chastisement that I feared the most. “Yes, we’ll see whose name you scream tonight.”

And with that ominous statement, he lowered the feather to my inner thighs. No amount of pleading would sway him while he trailed it up my thigh to my groin then over my side up to my nipple. The tickle moved over my skin until I was panting with the need to move . . . itch . . . do something. His whispers tickled my mind the way the feather did my super sensitive flesh.

“Beautiful . . . pink . . . sweet Elrond . . . my beautiful lord . . . my delicate flower,” his voice flowed over me like honey and then the touch changed from teasing to massaging. The feather disappeared and his long, elegant fingers took its place. “That’s it, El’, let go and show me how much you’re enjoying my touch.”

The oil he trailed behind the firm strokes tingled and my head thrashed from side to side as the sensations multiplied. I was burning everywhere and my shaft was hard as mithril when he finally sheathed himself in my body. Unable to touch him at all, I pleaded and begged for more movement, more thrust, more everything.

“My greedy love, you are in no position to demand anything at all.” He laughed down at me, his face glowing with love while his hips thrust ever so slowly into the wide-v of my legs and his shaft nudged my sweet spot over and over.

I was burning alive and I never wanted this fire to go out. “Glorfindel! Please!”

“My love . . .” a thrust “my dearest love . . .” another thrust “my heart . . .” a tweak of my nipples while I opened my mouth to scream “my own.”

“’Del!” My voice was hoarse and when his lips sealed over mine, I fell into release with a shudder that wracked my body until I descended into darkness.

When I awoke, I was boneless under the silk sheets and cradled in my lover’s arms. His slow heartbeat was a lullaby that sent me right back to sleep. The morning would come soon enough.

*********   
Perri  
********* 

It was the hardest thing I had ever had to do. King Thranduil cast me out of his household, barely listening to my halting explanation. Then Lord Elrond told him of his son’s family and happiness. Within the hour, he’d left Rivendell with harsh words for Lord Elrond and a blow to me because I was in his way. Glorfindel bathed my cheek and the lord healed it with a touch.

“There’s truly no fool like an old fool,” the dark lord said sardonically. “Now, we have your things made up and provisions readied. It’s not like we don’t want you to stay but the weather can not hold this well forever. We will provide you an escort to the Last Bridge to make sure that our present for my old friend doesn’t go astray.”

I blushed at the innuendo in his voice and his quirked eyebrow but it was Glorfindel’s laugh that brought a smile to my lips. That’s when anticipation began to rise within me. I had loved Legolas like a brother but my feelings for the wizard were entirely different. My prince’s exile had been harsh and if I’d known that Nanala and Pfister were leaving to find him, I would have gone with them.

Now I was riding towards my prince and his family and there was nothing but joy in my heart. I would serve him well and if I could also see Mithrandir each day, then my heart would be glad indeed. The days sped by until I took my leave of Lord Elrond and Glorfindel at the Last Bridge. They bid me a fond farewell and gave me much good if rather ribald advice.

Within three days, I met up with Lord Elrond’s sons and they escorted me the rest of the way into the towering forest of Vestella and the beautiful valley where they lived. I was in a trance of wonder at the sparkling rivers we crossed, the ancient trees that shaded our path, the different styles of homes nestled into each glade and hillock. Everyone we met greeted us with smiles and welcoming greetings.

Truly, this place lived up to its name of Friendly. I saw my prince carrying a child in his arms near the meeting hall the twins were leading me to. His cry when he saw me was joyful and I jumped from Lara’s back to the ground to greet him. We hugged each other and the baby caught between us laughed out loud and pulled my hair.

“Glimmer, let go of Perri’s hair. It is not for pulling.” Legolas cheerfully admonished him and the dark eyed child leaned over to kiss my cheek in apology.

“Who is this then, Legolas?” A gruff voice from behind me asked and I turned to find a dwarf carrying a fair haired little girl.

“Beloved Gimli, this is my old friend and companion, Perri. Perri, this is my bonded, Prince Gimli and our daughter, Pharin.” Legolas introduced us and I bowed to them while trying not to stare too much.

It was true, all the stories and the pictures that I had seen were made flesh before me. Pharin was beautiful and so like Legolas that her sweet spirit sang to me. The dwarf was powerful although I’d never seen one with that short a beard before. Glimmer looked like him and yet his spirit was no less sweet than his sister’s. I longed to know more of this unlikely pair.

“Gandalf, come and greet an old friend.” My prince seemed not to notice my sudden freezing and I turned slowly to see the wizard who held my heart.

His hair was still long and silver but his beard was gone. His eyes shown blue but his body was bent a little over his staff as if he was still tormented by pain. I knew not why it was this being who made my heart soar, why it was only he who made me tremble with desire but it was so. And now I had a chance to make him see me.

To truly see me the way that I saw him. I smiled at him. “Greetings, Gandalf.”

“Young Perri, how very nice to see you again.” His smile was still bright and it pierced me with joy. “Let us go in to dinner and hear all about what brings you here.” 

I bowed to him and let him lead me into the meeting hall. I could hardly wait to begin.


	16. Chapter 16

Gandalf  
*************** 

I sat back and listened to the youngsters good naturedly squabble about what to do after dinner. It was good to be a part of a community again. The last few months of shadowed dreaming had reminded me of one very important thing. Life can be cut off in a heartbeat and should therefore be treasured and lived to the fullest. 

But did I dare reach out for what I wanted? 

I was a foolish old wizard to think that a bright youth like Perri might want more than friendship. My gaze rested on him for a moment where he leaned against the table, talking earnestly with Legolas. They looked for a moment like a pair of twins and my heart skipped a beat. Gimli was a very lucky dwarf to have such a bonded and I shouldn’t be wishing for the moon, I told myself sternly.

What I really needed was a good soak in the communal spa but it looked like half of Friendly was making plans to go there and I was a bit shy about exposing my wrinkled self to the populace. I’d have to settle for a hot bath at my host’s and an early night. The sound of bright laughter brought my eyes back to the mischievous Elves who were teasing Gimli.

His growl made both of their children crow with delight and little Glimmer tugged on his father’s hair to try and make him do it again. Legolas plucked his son from those strong arms and tickled him while his sister watched with a very satisfied look on her face. They were the most amazing babies I’d ever met; in fact all the children of Friendly were marvels of this Fourth Age.

Most disconcerting but very hopeful. While I mused on the amount of sheer power in this room, a hand fell onto my shoulder. I glanced up into bright blue eyes and felt my heart give that little thump that it had been giving for the last two weeks. 

“Gandalf, Legolas has given me clear directions to a hot spring that will be quite private. Would you like to join me for . . . a soak?” The tenor voice had just a tiny little quiver.

Bright Havens, was I being invited to a seduction?

I certainly hoped so. “That sounds most therapeutic, Perri. I’d like that very much.”

His smile was blinding and his hands pulled me upright with one swift tug. “Let us go now.”

We said our goodnights to the others and I tried to ignore the wink that Gloin gave me. Did everyone know about this seduction? There was a bundle of things just outside the door to the dining hall and Perri picked it up nonchalantly. That meant probably everyone did indeed know. I hoped that the springs were far enough away so no one heard anything. 

I felt like making some noise.

It had been a hundred years since my last sexual encounter and that had been Radagast; bless his little shape-shifting self. Perri was giving me the most intriguing looks and I felt that frisson of warmth that I barely recognized as passion. Once we were past the houses and the fields, I decided to make sure that we were feeling the same thing.

“Perri, I don’t want to be presumptuous but do you by any chance harbor a desire to make love to me?” I didn’t know how else to say it.

He blushed beautifully but more importantly he nodded yes. “I’ve been in love with you since you came to Mirkwood to give Legolas some of his lessons. I begged my father to allow me to join him and Legolas agreed, too. He’s always known that I wanted you.”

“And you were never tempted by the bright prince?” I was genuinely curious.

His astonished glance answered quite well. “Havens, no, he’s my prince and more like a brother than a lover. I found out what I needed to know about making love to a male from the archives and made sure that I could give you pleasure.”

Pleasure indeed, I thought in astonishment. “You’ve never taken a lover then?”

He shook his head and smiled affectionately at me. “It would be you or no one. My father told me that I was remarkably like the Dwarves in that respect.”

“Goodness gracious me,” I felt rather faint. “It’s been so long since I have lain with anyone that we might as well both be novices.”

His hand found mine and clasped it close, tugging me to a halt. Then he stepped close and gently laid his lips on mine. His soft lips nibbled at my lips and I gasped at the tingles that began to spread. Taking my gasp as an invitation, his tongue slid against mine and I tasted his sweetness. He tasted of honey and cinnamon and I was instantly addicted. A moan grew between us and I wasn’t sure from whom it came.

Perhaps it was both of us, I thought dazedly. Still holding my hand, he led us towards our hot springs rendezvous.

********  
Perri  
******** 

It was really going to happen, I thought excitedly. He was all right with my brazen invitation and he had the experience to keep us from hurting each other. But it sounded like he’d not been touched with love for quite some time. Our clasped hands between us brought me his warmth and the strength of his grip brought me a thrill that I had hoped would one day be mine.

I smelled the springs before hearing the distinctive sound of bubbling water. I’d seen his wistful look when the communal spa was mentioned but it seemed the crowded spa was not to his liking and I thought I knew why. He was older than most and his wrinkled face might suppose a few wrinkles on his body, too. That would touch on his pride and I could not fault him since I too wished to look good for his pleasure.

“Goodness, what a charming little glade.” He sounded astonished and I was pleased that he liked it.

“Legolas said that the water is heavily mineralized.” I laid down my bundle of towels and regretfully let go his hand. “Even though there is a nip in the air, he cautioned against staying in more than an hour.”

He began to unwind his sash. “The wind says more than a nip is coming our way. We might have a heavy frost or even a slight snow fall before morning.”

I stilled his hands with mine and kissed him again, sliding my arms around him and feeling the hardness of his body against me. His hands curled around my shoulders and drew us just a little bit closer. He tasted of the elderberry tart we’d had for dessert and I desired to taste it again and again. But between us, our hands were busy stripping away the clothes that kept us from touching.

Finally, we were skin to skin and shivers raced over us from the chill breeze that penetrated even the beech trees and lilac bushes that surrounded us so thickly. The water beckoned and we sank into it with startled sighs of delight. It bubbled and fizzed around us like the fireworks with which Gandalf had so often delighted us. The astonished look on his face made me laugh and he tried to look affronted but to no avail.

He was enjoying himself and that gave me more happiness than I’d thought possible. My every thought would be for him, I thought with determination. He would know nothing but love and caring for however many years were granted to us. This I vowed most earnestly to myself. It would be a while before I shared it with my love. He was still a bit skittish with me.

But I was busy gazing my fill of his broad shoulders and his scarred torso. I traced one particular scar like a lash that stretched across his entire chest and curled around to his back. “What is this, Gandalf? It looks like the mark of a whip. Who has dared do such a thing to you?”

He looked down sadly and tried to cover it with his hand but not even his long fingers were big enough. “The mark of the Balrog will remain with me for the rest of my life.”

I leaned in and kissed the tip of it then slowly made my way along its path, kissing a small brown nipple along the way. He shivered but it was not with cold. I followed it until it slipped beneath the water and I had to stop. For the moment only, once we were out of the water and in a comfortable bed I planned to kiss it from beginning to end.

“Dear Havens, Perri, you will make me come with just that.” His dazed voice made me feel quite proud of myself. 

“You will come as often as you like, Gandalf for I will always be here to entice you to come again.” I kissed him softly and watched his eyes crinkle into a smile.

“I shall be a withered up husk before you are done with me, Perri.” His smile was brighter than the stars that shone overhead.

“Untrue, Gandalf, for I shall never be done with you. I will wrap you in my arms this night and all our days to come. I have loved you too long to be satisfied with but a single night.” I kissed his cheek then his nose and over to his other cheek.

“You humble me, beloved. I have no experience with such devotion. My small fumblings of love were hurried and more a form of comfort than anything else.” He admitted ruefully and stroked back the hair from my face. “Never was my partner as beautiful as you. You are golden through and through, Perri. How can you want someone like me?”

“You are like a giant oak tree that grows in this forest, solid with roots that pierce the earth deeply. I plan to shelter in your shade where ever we may be.” I luxuriated in his arms around me and in my ability to touch him. The warmth of the spring was as nothing compared to the warmth I found in his embrace. I found myself sitting in his lap with my legs clasped around his waist while we kissed again and again.

Our shafts dueled for space between us and I shivered when he reached a hand between to gather them together. My blood was hotter than the water that surrounded us and the slight friction of his callused palm against my most tender skin made it boil. I felt my seed rush from me and I couldn’t seem to catch my breath when he groaned into my mouth and came.

Never had I felt so loved. His soft murmurs of my name brought me back to the here and now. Soft kisses fluttered over my face and I absorbed them like my skin absorbed the water that surrounded us. I would learn much this night.

***********   
Gandalf  
*********** 

I held a miracle in my arms. He was beautiful in his passion and he’d moved with me like he’d done it all his days. His soft cry of completion had drawn my climax from me in a rush. Tasting the softness of his cheek, I feared that I could never get enough. But if his words were true then I would never need to be without him. The pulse in his throat throbbed beneath my lips and I drank in the sound of his life.

“Gandalf,” He sighed and I smiled to hear my name so sultrily spoken. “I love you, my wizard.”

“Dearest Perri, I have never felt like this before.” I drew back just enough so I could look into those beautiful eyes. “Do not ever doubt my love for you.”

His look was affectionate and he kissed the tip of my nose. “I do not doubt, Gandalf, for I shall remain by your side no matter where you are. You are used to being alone and should you need silence I will give it to you. But should you be needed elsewhere then I shall go with you.”

I blinked and stared at him. “You do not wish to stay here in Friendly?”

This time he kissed my lips slowly and I almost forgot my question. Then he pulled away and placed one hand over my heart. “My home is here in your arms. Where you live, there shall I live. Where you go, I will go. You have responsibilities beyond this place, I understand that. Friendly shall perhaps be our still center where we live when we can and come back to when we are weary.”

“Goodness,” I said faintly. He was committing to me even though he knew that I might have to leave. I’d never experienced such devotion directed solely at me and I wasn’t sure what to say or how to feel. 

“I’ve had many years to think on this, my love, while you’ve had but a few hours.” He nuzzled my cheek with his soft lips while his hands stroked over the scar that he’d so tenderly kissed earlier. “Take your time and tell me if that is all right with you when you are ready.”

“Perri,” I managed over the frightened beating of my heart. “I have spent my life helping others and it feels selfish to be told to take something for myself.” I laid my fingers over his protesting lips. “I am old, sometimes crotchety, set in my ways and not in the best of health. But if you will have me, I will be yours for how ever long the Valar should give us to love.”

“Gandalf,” he sighed and took my lips with fervor.

Clutching his slim form to mine, I felt myself begin to rise for a second time. That hadn’t happened in centuries and just before I lost the ability to think at all, I marveled at the power of love. His love shone about us until I realized that wasn’t what was shining. “Perri, look up.”

He pulled back just far enough to spot the lazy fall of great white snow flakes. Laughing, he caught one on his tongue and licked his lips while I became almost harder than my iron oak staff. He noticed, of course, and his blue eyes sparkled while his hands smoothed over my chest.

“A most wondrous sight, Gandalf but something much more wonderful seeks my attention” his hands slid lower. “I think that we have time for one more” his clever fingers slid up and down my shaft but his eyes never left mine. “One more bout of love before we must leave this enchanted grove for the night.”

His grip was perfect and I let my head fall back against the sturdy stone wall while he slowly frictioned me to steel. I was panting with the need to bring in enough air. I was very close to fainting when he stopped. My eyes popped open in protest but his smile was tender and he kissed me gently. The snow landed on his gleaming golden hair and looked like diamonds bejeweling his crown.

“Come for me, beloved. Come.” He bade me and I obeyed that tender command with a shout of sated passion.

I felt my muscles relax completely in the heated bubbling waters of the spring. For the first time since I’d been rescued by Elrond and the others, I let go of the burdens and responsibilities that I’d carried for centuries. Perri’s strong young arms were the only thing keeping me upright and not face down in the water.

“Dear Gandalf, I love giving you pleasure. We shall do this often but for now, I believe we should get out, dressed and go home.” He lifted from my lap where I’d grown quite used to his slight weight, pulling me up and into the chilly air. 

I had little energy left but he dried us both then dressed me in my robe and helped me on with my boots, sliding into his own clothes with a panache that I’d never be able to match. Leading me from the small grove, he whistled and Shadowfax and Lara came from where they’d been grazing nearby. He’d planned ahead, knowing how exhausted I’d be.

If I was very lucky, I’d be this exhausted over and over again. Together we would build a future with the others of Friendly and I could hardly wait to begin.


End file.
